Trump nominee Mehmet Oz faces conflict of interest concerns

Mehmet Oz, a nominee by former President Donald Trump for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, may face a conflict of interest. He co-founded a health benefits company, ZorroRX, with his son, which aims to connect patients with the federal 340B Drug Pricing Program. This situation raises concerns since his role could impact the financial success of such companies. Experts and watchdog groups are worried that Oz’s position could lead to biased decisions. Virginia Canter, from the State Democracy Defenders Fund, emphasized the importance of accountability and raised concerns about using public office for personal gain. Oz did not list his partnership with ZorroRX in his financial documents submitted to the Office of Government Ethics. While "co-founder" is not a term that requires disclosure, ethics experts suggest he should have revealed this connection. Law professor Kathleen Clark stated that it could be hard to believe Oz would act impartially in decisions related to the 340B program, given his interests. The 340B program itself has been criticized for being misused. Many hospitals are accused of using it to increase profits without helping low-income communities as intended. Ashley Flint, a health pricing analyst, noted that this issue was not anticipated when the program started nearly 30 years ago. It remains unclear how Oz would approach the 340B program if he is confirmed. Both the White House and Oz’s spokesperson have avoided questions about his involvement with ZorroRX. However, the Office of Government Ethics has reportedly reviewed his finances and indicated to the Senate that any potential conflicts have been addressed.