# Ariel Pakes ![Ariel Pakes](/sites/g/files/omnuum5946/files/styles/hwp_1_1__360x360_scale/public/pakes/files/arielheadshot.jpg?itok=8zOwbz1Q) **Office Address:** Department of Economics Harvard University Littauer Room 117 Cambridge, MA 02138 **EMail:** [apakes@fas.harvard.edu](mailto:ariel_pakes@harvard.edu) **Tel:** 617-495-5320 **Office Hours:** By appointment. E-mail [ariel\_pakes@harvard.edu](mailto:ariel_pakes@harvard.edu) to schedule. **Staff Support:** Ann Richards Littauer Center, Room 118 **EMail:** [ann\_richards@harvard.edu](mailto:ann_richards@harvard.edu) **Tel:** 617-496-3960 [### Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Hidden Forces Behind Your Health Plan Loyalty ](/news/2026/02/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-hidden-forces-behind-your-health-plan-loyalty) February 12, 2026 If you ask someone in the United States whether to reconsider their health insurance plan choices, they may sigh, roll their eyes, and offer a story about navigating a maze of deductibles, networks, and confusing brochures. In practice, most people end up... description [### Interview with Ariel Pakes ](https://causalinf.substack.com/p/s2e27-interview-with-ariel-pakes#details) August 22, 2023 description [### Ariel Pakes Has Followed His Head and Heart to Prominence in Economics ](https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2000/01/intensely-technical-ariel-pakes-has-followed-his-head-and-heart-to-prominence-in-economics/) January 27, 2000 description Download 4 citations download- [BibTeX](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%5B0%5D=journal_article&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Boperator%5D=IN&format=bibtex) - [EndNote X3 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%5B0%5D=journal_article&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Boperator%5D=IN&format=endnote8) - [EndNote 7 XML](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%5B0%5D=journal_article&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Boperator%5D=IN&format=endnote7) - [Endnote tagged](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%5B0%5D=journal_article&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Boperator%5D=IN&format=tagged) - [Marc](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%5B0%5D=journal_article&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Boperator%5D=IN&format=marc) - [PubMedId](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%5B0%5D=journal_article&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Boperator%5D=IN&format=pubmed_id) - [RIS](/bibcite/export?pager_style=no_pager&number_of_items=4&sort_field=bibcite_year--desc&taxonomy_filters=&&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Bvalue%5D%5B0%5D=journal_article&additional_filters%5Btype%5D%5B0%5D%5Boperator%5D=IN&format=ris) ### Working Paper Pakes A, Porter J, Shepard M, Calder-Wang S. [Unobserved Heterogeneity, State Dependence, and Health Plan Choices](/publications/unobserved-heterogeneity-state-dependence-and-health-plan-choices). Revised June 2025. Pakes A, Porter J, Shepard M, Calder-Wang S. [Unobserved Heterogeneity, State Dependence, and Health Plan Choices](/publications/unobserved-heterogeneity-state-dependence-and-health-plan-choices). Revised June 2025. - [ picture\_as\_pdfUnobsHeterog\_StateDep\_Hea...](/sites/g/files/omnuum5946/files/2025-07/UnobsHeterog_StateDep_HealthChoices_2025.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfUnobsHeterog\_StateDep\_Hea...](/sites/g/files/omnuum5946/files/2025-07/UnobsHeterog_StateDep_HealthChoices_2025.pdf) Dubois P, Pakes A. [Pharmaceutical Advertising in Dynamic Equilibrium](/publication/pharmaceutical-advertising-dynamic-equilibrium-0). Dubois P, Pakes A. [Pharmaceutical Advertising in Dynamic Equilibrium](/publication/pharmaceutical-advertising-dynamic-equilibrium-0). - add\_circle do\_not\_disturb\_on Abstract - [ picture\_as\_pdfDuboisPakes May 2026.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum5946/files/2026-05/DuboisPakes%20May%202026.pdf) Direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription drugs may expand treatment access but also risks promoting overuse and business stealing without generating welfare gains. Among developed nations, only the United States and New Zealand permit DTCA... - [ picture\_as\_pdfDuboisPakes May 2026.pdf](/sites/g/files/omnuum5946/files/2026-05/DuboisPakes%20May%202026.pdf) ### 2025 Pakes A. [Lessons From Empirical Work on Market Dynamics](https://www.networklawreview.org/pakes-market-dynamics/). Network Law Review. 2025. Pakes A. [Lessons From Empirical Work on Market Dynamics](https://www.networklawreview.org/pakes-market-dynamics/). Network Law Review. 2025. Ho K, Pakes A. [Policy Options for the Drug Pricing Conundrum](/publication/policy-options-drug-pricing-conundrum). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2025;Vol 122 # 9. doi:10.1073/pnas.2418541022 Ho K, Pakes A. [Policy Options for the Drug Pricing Conundrum](/publication/policy-options-drug-pricing-conundrum). Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2025;Vol 122 # 9. doi:10.1073/pnas.2418541022 - [ picture\_as\_pdfPolicy Options for the Dr...](/sites/g/files/omnuum5946/files/2025-02/ho-pakes-2025-policy-options-for-the-drug-pricing-conundrum.pdf) - [ picture\_as\_pdfPolicy Options for the Dr...](/sites/g/files/omnuum5946/files/2025-02/ho-pakes-2025-policy-options-for-the-drug-pricing-conundrum.pdf)