Public HealthLobbyists Face Potential Conflicts Of Interest
"With a health reform at the top of the Congressional and White House agenda, it"s prime time for industry lobbyists," Roll Call reports. But, because details of the anticipated reform package have not yet emerged, industry winners and losers remain largely unknown. Lobbyists are forced to accept clients despite their incomplete knowledge of client needs, and are struggling to anticipate conflicts of interest before they arise, according to the article. "There are so many different players at the table, and right now not knowing whose ox is likely to get gored and at whose expense... the best we can do is try and anticipate conflicts and be clear with our clients in advance," one health care lobbyist told the paper. "We certainly would not lobby on both sides of an issue. It"s also entirely possible conflict may emerge in the next two to six months, and we hope we don"t have to make hard choices" (Ackley, 6/3).
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