Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) "seeks to improve the health and health care of all Americans," according to its mission statement. 

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funds tobacco control and health projects. The tobacco industry has considered the RWJF an adversary and kept a close eye on projects funded by RWJF. In 1994 the tobacco industry lobby has opposed public health anti-smoking commercials commercials funded by the RWJF.

Fake news
In 1999, RWJF awarded a two-month contract worth $51,844 to Home Front Communications, for the "production and distribution of television messages to encourage enrollment in CHIP," the Children's Health Insurance Program. Home Front is a broadcast public relations firm infamous for having produced two video news releases for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services promoting the benefits of the controversial Medicare drug law. The Government Accountability Office later ruled that the VNRs had "violated the restriction on using appropriated funds for publicity or propaganda purposes."

Other Home Front Communications work for RWJF, done in conjunction with the PR firm Burness Communications from 2003 through mid-September 2007, includes producing and distributing "86 broadcast material packets to television stations and/or radio stations highlighting health and health care issues important to RWJF and featuring RWJF grantees and their work," reaching "more than 684-million viewers." RWJF noted, "Much of the content was utilized by stations in the top 20 or 50 markets."

Board of Trustees

 * Thomas H. Kean, Chairman
 * Robert E. Campbell, "retired vice chairman of the Board of Directors of Johnson & Johnson (J&J)"
 * Nancy-Ann DeParle, "senior adviser at J.P. Morgan Partners, LLC"
 * George S. Frazza, "counsel for Patterson, Belknap, Webb & Tyler; "previously served Johnson & Johnson for more than 30 years in the roles of corporate secretary, vice president and general counsel, and was a member of the executive committee."
 * Linda Griego, "president of Zapgo Entertainment Group"
 * Wendy W. Hagen, "senior vice president of Porter Novelli International"
 * Edward J. Hartnett, "retired company group chairman of Johnson & Johnson responsible for Ethicon Inc., and other international affiliates."
 * Robert Wood Johnson IV, "chairman and CEO of the Johnson Company"
 * Ralph S. Larsen, "former chairman and CEO of Johnson & Johnson (J&J)."
 * Risa Lavizzo-Mourey, M.D., M.B.A., Foundation president and CEO
 * Edward E. Matthews, "senior advisor and was formerly senior vice chair, Investments and Financial Services of American International Group, Inc. (AIG)"
 * William L. Roper, M.D., M.P.H., dean of the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC); CEO, UNC Health Care System and "vice chancellor for medical affairs at UNC."
 * Marla E. Salmon, Sc.D., R.N., "dean of the Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and a professor at the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University, Atlanta."
 * Gail L. Warden, former "president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System"
 * Richard B. Worley, "managing director of Permit Capital Group, LLC"; retired "CEO and chief investment officer of Morgan Stanley Investment Management."
 * See full biographies on RWJF website.

Contact details
P.O. Box 2316 College Road East and Route 1 Princeton, NJ 08543 (888) 631-9989 URL: http://www.rwjf.org/index.jsp Turning Point Program

SourceWatch resources

 * funders
 * health care
 * Home Front Communications
 * Nancy Landon Kassebaum Baker
 * Caring Connections
 * Margaret E. Mahoney - key person during 70s
 * Constance M. Pechura

Articles
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