Mathews-Ross is a research scientist who studies Erythropoietic Protoporphyia, a disease involving hemoglobin formation in the blood.

The rare disease might be curable, said Mathews-Ross, with treatment of bone-marrow cells, which "is not cheap."

"Managed care may have an inhibiting effect on research, [especially] on esoteric and rare and diseases," she said.

EPIHC's Business Manager, Stu C. Dorman '99, said he agrees.

"A lot of things about [managed care] do not promote efficiency," he said.

Although last night's event was openly critical of managed health care, Rogers said the group had no predefined opinion on managed care and planned to invite an HMO executive to address the organization in the future.

The organization's next big event is Harvard's first health care policy career fair, scheduled for December 3 at the Faculty Club.

EPIHC expects at least 10 firms to participate, Rogers said.