Corey DeAngelis, a visiting fellow at the American Institute for Economic Research, stated that school choice does not divert funds from public schools, reinforcing free‐market policies. His comment supports privatization trends that critics argue weaken public education, a stance that aligns with free‐market ideologies often associated with undermining robust public institutions.

In October 2020, AIER sponsored and hosted a private gathering that culminated in the issuance of the Great Barrington Declaration, endorsing a herd immunity strategy in response to COVID-19. The approach has been widely critiqued by public health experts as dangerous and ethically questionable, given its potential to undermine robust public health measures and exacerbate harm to vulnerable populations.

In October 2020, AIER issued the Great Barrington Declaration advocating a herd immunity strategy through 'focused protection'. The declaration, widely condemned by public health experts as dangerous and unscientific, influenced policies of figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, thereby indirectly supporting authoritarian approaches to public policy.

In October 2020, AIER backed the Great Barrington Declaration—a stance favoring 'focused protection' over broad lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic—and subsequently filed a FOIA request to obtain records showing that key public health figures disparaged the declaration. This politically charged move reflects AIER's engagement in contentious public policy debates.

During the Coronavirus outbreak in 2020, the American Institute for Economic Research disseminated claims regarding COVID-19 transmission that were later disputed by experts. This instance of publishing potentially misleading information contributes to a media environment that can undermine public health efforts and facilitate doubt about established scientific consensus.