Professor Phelan has his B.S. and MA degree in economics from Indiana University and his Ph.D in economics from George Washington University.  Dr. Phelan’s teaching responsibilities include micro and macro economics; industrial organization and public policy.  Prior to coming to UNH, Dr. Phelan was a senior economist with the Federal Trade Commission and then was an executive assistant to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services between 1981 and 1989.  While working for the Secretary of HHS, Dr. Phelan’s primary responsibilities involved assisting the Secretary with respect to regulatory policies – primarily those dealing with the Food and Drug Administration.  Research interests include the economics of information and industrial organization.  His most recent research is concerned with the costs and benefits of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs.  During the past two years Dr. Phelan has also served as chairman of the UNH faculty senate.

B.S. Business and Economics: Indiana University, 1965

M.A. Economics: Indiana University, 1967

Ph.D. Economics: George Washington University, 1977

Chief of Staff, Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, 1995 (while on leave of absence from UNH)

Deputy Executive Secretary (Acting) Immediate Office of the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC. 1988-89

Associate Executive Secretary (regulatory policy), Immediate Office of the Secretary, US Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, DC, 1981- 1988

Senior Staff Economist, Bureau of Economics, Federal Trade Commission, Washington, DC. 1968 – 1981

Elected two years ago to be Chairman of the Faculty Senate – our major faculty organization representing the faculty in negotiations with the administration on many issues including curriculum and financial matters.  As part of my duties in the Senate I sit on and participate in two major Senate committees including the Academic Standards and Faculty Affairs Committee. 

Current research interests are issues related to industrial concentration.   Specifically, does concentration of industry result in anticompetitive behavior?  The issue is examined based on the history of the regulation of the US commercial airline industry between 1960 and 1980. 

Also involved in research concerning the effects of direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs with two new articles recently published on this subject.

Undergraduate and graduate micro and macro economics, antitrust policy and health economics and policy; labor economics and MBA course on business and society (EC 629).  

"Economic Effects of Laws Restricting Advertising in the Professions: Case Study of the Optometry Profession," (1980), Washington, DC, Federal Trade Commission

"Economic Effects of Occupational Licensing: Case Study of the Television Repair Industry," (1977), Washington, DC, Federal Trade Commission

Bond, R; Kwoka, J; Phelan, J., “Self Regulation in Optometry: The Impact on Price and Quality," (1983), Journal of Law and Human Behavior, Vol. 7, No’s 2/3

Phelan, J.; K. Kelly, “The Future of Managed Care: Integration of Financing, Risk Management and Delivery,” (1999), Connecticut Medicine, Vol 63, No. 10:587-94

Phelan, J., “Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) Advertising of Prescription Drugs (Rx): Benefits of Diffusion of Information,” (1999), Southwestern Journal of  Economics

Upadhyaya, K; Phelan, J; Ranish, R., “Currency Devaluation and Aggregate Output in East Africa,” (2009), Indian Journal of Economics and Business. Vol 8, No. 2

Kalyanaram, G. K.; Phelan, J., “Effects of Direct to Consumer Advertising of Prescription Drugs on Prices," (2010), Journal of Business and Economic Studies; Journal of Business and Economic Studies, Vo., 17, No. 2, Fall, 2011

Chen, S; Gu, A; Nguyen, V.; Phelan, J., “Do Mutual Fund Managers Take More Risk Toward Yearend?” (2010), Academy of Accounting & Financial Services, Vol 14, No. 2, July, 2009

John Phelan; Kalyanaram, G.K., "Does Concentration Matter?" (2011), Forthcoming; Journal of Economics and Education Research

Kalyanaram, G.K; Phelan, "The Effect of Direct to Consumers (DTCA) on Market Share, Sales and Consumer Welfare," (2012), Forthcoming in the Academy of Marketing Studies

Consultant: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, 1994-1996

Chief of Staff: Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, 1994-1996

John Phelan CV