Drug companies spend record sums on lobbying

WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Drug companies and their trade groups spent a record $155 million on lobbying over the past year and a half, focusing on issues such as the Medicare prescription drug price negotiation and FDA reform, a new report said.

The drug companies made up the majority of those in the medical industry spending money on lobbying, which invested $185 million last year.

The companies employed about 1,100 lobbyists to do their work, according to the Center for Public Integrity’s report.

Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America spent more than $18 million alone, which is the most it has spent since 1998, the report said.

The industry’s lobbying efforts focused on trying to keep the federal government from negotiating drug prices through Medicare, the report said.

The companies also lobbied against legislation that would allow drugs to be imported from other countries, as well as heightened Food and Drug Administration monitoring, patent legislation and legislation regarding stockpiling vaccines for potential bioterrorism threats.

M. Asif Ismail, the report’s author, said the study did not compare the industry to others in terms of lobbying spending, but the Center had found in prior studies that the pharmaceutical industry outspent all other industries.

PhRMA Senior Vice President Ken Johnson blasted the report in a statement Monday, saying that its efforts have focused on patient safety and advancing patient health.

“The ... report, not surprisingly, misses the mark when it comes to efforts by America’s pharmaceutical research companies to educate policymakers about the important role played in helping patients win their battle against disease,” Johnson said.

melissa.frederick@dcexaminer.com