Farzana Akkas

Senior Associate at The Pew Charitable Trusts

Farzana Akkas is a public health professional serving as a Senior Associate at The Pew Charitable Trusts, where she focuses on the Suicide Risk Reduction Project. She is based in Springfield, Virginia, and has extensive experience in health policy research and advocacy.1 6

Professional Experience

Senior Associate, Suicide Risk Reduction Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts (Dec 2021 - Present)
Senior Associate, Health Care Products at The Pew Charitable Trusts (Jul 2020 - Dec 2021)
Associate, Health Care Products at The Pew Charitable Trusts (Sep 2018 - Jul 2020)
Research and Public Health Fellow at the National Center for Health Research (Dec 2015 - Sep 2018)
Grants Unit Intern at Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (Jul 2015 - Dec 2015)
Chlamydia Screening Assistant at Terrence Higgins Trust in the UK (Jan 2012 - Jan 2013).1

Education

Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Biomedical Sciences from Kingston University (2007 - 2010)
Master's Degree in Public Health Education and Promotion from Brunel University (2011 - 2012).1

Areas of Focus

Farzana Akkas works on strengthening medical product regulation to safeguard patients and consumers. Her efforts include improving FDA oversight of dietary supplements and regenerative medicine therapies. She has also contributed to research highlighting the harms associated with unapproved stem cell products.2 Additionally, she is involved in projects that address suicide risk and mental health care disparities.3 4 5