Ethics Watchdog Urges Investigation Into Top Health Official, Alleging Conflict of Interest Over Hormone Therapy Policy

The Campaign Legal Center has asked the Department of Health and Human Services inspector general to investigate whether senior official Alicia Jackson violated ethics rules by publicly backing a change to hormone therapy policy while holding investments in companies connected to menopause treatment. The request follows a ProPublica investigation and raises questions about whether Jackson should have recused herself and fully disclosed financial interests.

Jackson spoke at a November press conference and was quoted in an HHS announcement about removing the strongest federal safety warnings from hormone replacement therapy products. Her disclosures showed at least $115,000 in Evernow stock, a company she founded, plus investments in private funds linked to her husband’s venture capital firm. The watchdog identified one fund as an investor in Thirty Madison, whose subsidiary provides menopause hormone treatments; it also questioned whether up to $400 million in underlying assets had been properly identified. Jackson was placed on administrative leave, but officials have not explained why, and it is unclear what role she had in the policy decision.