{"id":117412,"date":"2025-11-20T19:26:17","date_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:26:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/?post_type=news&p=117412"},"modified":"2025-11-20T19:26:17","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T00:26:17","slug":"get-to-know-megan-whiteman","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/news\/get-to-know-megan-whiteman\/","title":{"rendered":"Get to Know Megan Whiteman"},"content":{"rendered":"

This article appeared in the November\/December 2025 edition of Public Citizen News. Download the full edition here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Megan Whiteman is a researcher with Public Citizen\u2019s Access to Medicines program, where she works on issues related to drug pricing and access. A native Marylander, she received her bachelor\u2019s degree in public health science from the University of Maryland and her master\u2019s degree in health policy from the University of Edinburgh. In her spare time, she enjoys running, hiking, reading, spending time with family and friends, and traveling.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did you end up at Public Citizen?<\/b><\/p>\n

I am interested in the different things that influence our health and the obstacles that prevent people from accessing health care. While pursuing my undergraduate degree, I interned at PharmedOut, a project at Georgetown University Medical Center that works on evidence-based prescribing and provides health care professionals with educational resources free from pharmaceutical industry influence. From there, I became more interested in policy as an area to push for top-down change, and in finding ways to support those working to promote health from the bottom up. I find it shocking that corporations can have such an outsized influence on people’s health. Public Citizen has offered me the opportunity to advocate for accountability and lifesaving policies.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s one research project you worked on at Public Citizen that you\u2019re especially proud of or would want to highlight?\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

In 2024, an infectious disease called mpox spread rapidly through several countries in Africa. Public Citizen\u2019s Access to Medicines team challenged the manufacturer of a key mpox vaccine on its unaffordable pricing; urged global health organizations to negotiate a fair price for the vaccine; supported calls to share vaccine manufacturing technology; and underscored the inherent injustice of vaccine dos<\/span>es being unavailable in places where they are most needed. As with COVID-19, recent mpox outbreaks emphasize<\/span> the inadequacy of relying on monopoly suppliers to provide medical tools to the world and the need for global action to advance equitable access, prevent suffering, and curb outbreaks.<\/span><\/p>\n

What does a typical work day look like for you?<\/b><\/p>\n

I typically start each day by reading news related to health and access to medicines. I share relevant stories with my team at Public Citizen and with hundreds of health advocates through two listservs that we maintain. This helps me keep up with the latest developments and can help inform advocacy priorities. For the rest of my day, I research health topics and policies and analyze their potential impacts on access and affordability.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s your superpower?<\/b><\/p>\n

I\u2019m curious and enjoy exploring new spaces, learning new things, and broadening my understanding to improve my work and generate impact.<\/span><\/p>\n

What do you enjoy about working with the Access to Medicines team?<\/b><\/p>\n

The team puts expertise, clarity, and compassion to work every day to promote the public interest and support equitable access to medicines. We also collaborate with advocates across countries who bring their own experience and knowledge to the fight. I\u2019m grateful to be part of a team and an organization working for progress in the U.S. and coordinating globally to bring down monopoly barriers that keep medicines out of reach for so many.<\/span><\/p>\n ","protected":false},"featured_media":117413,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"class_list":["post-117412","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tax_topic-public-citizen-news","tax_news-featured-articles"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nGet to Know Megan Whiteman - Public Citizen<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.citizen.org\/news\/get-to-know-megan-whiteman\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Get to Know Megan Whiteman - Public Citizen\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This article appeared in the November\/December 2025 edition of Public Citizen News. 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