PhRMA Spends More Than $10 Million on Lobbying This Year

PhRMA has spent more than $10.7 million on lobbying in the first six months of 2007, according to a report filed with the Senate’s Office of Public Records.

The group lobbied Congress, the FDA, HHS and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services on a variety of issues. For example, PhRMA said it lobbied on drug importation, follow-on biologics, patent settlements, drug safety and PDUFA issues for S. 1082.

However, for the bill’s companion, H.R. 2900, PhRMA said it lobbied on drug safety and Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) issues. H.R. 2900 does not address drug importation or follow-on biologics.

The Senate added an amendment to S. 1082 allowing drug importation from other countries, but also passed a second-degree amendment that would require the HHS secretary to certify that allowing imported drugs would not endanger American citizens and would result in lower prices. The move seemed to nullify the first amendment, as the FDA has said it is unable to ensure the safety of imported drugs.

PhRMA has previously warned of the dangers of importing prescription drugs. Allowing imported drugs into the U.S. is “the scariest thing I can think of right now,” PhRMA CEO Billy Tauzin said at a Senate hearing earlier this year.