Healthy Skepticism Library item: 15754

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: news

Pfizer spent $6.1M lobbying government in 1Q
Forbes.com 2009 Jun 4
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-42841927/pharma-lobbying-money-whos-spending-what-fighting-healthcare-reform/

Full text:

Pfizer Inc., the world’s biggest drugmaker, spent more than $6.1 million lobbying the government in the first quarter on health care reform, drug coverage provided under various government programs and other matters, according to a recent disclosure report.

Pfizer – the maker of cholesterol fighter Lipitor, impotence pill Viagra and pain reliever Celebrex – more than doubled its lobbying spending from the year-ago period. The company also spent nearly $3.3 million lobbying in the fourth quarter of 2008.

New York-based Pfizer lobbied on legislation on health reform initiatives, electronic prescriptions, veterans issues, allowing generic versions of expensive biologic drugs and a proposal requiring research comparing the effectiveness of different medical treatments.

It also lobbied on U.S. patent reform and on international patent, trade and regulatory issues involving more than 20 countries; national health insurance; legislation to require drug makers to disclose payments to physicians; reauthorization of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program; and environmental issues related to pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Pfizer, which also makes the smoking cessation drug Chantix, lobbied on coverage for programs to help people quit smoking. In addition, it lobbied on corporate tax issues and extension of a research and development tax credit popular in the pharmaceutical industry, which President Barack Obama agreed in May to make permanent.

The company also lobbied on the federal stimulus package, the proposed 2010 budget and bills governing marketing of generic drugs, pricing of prescription drugs, coverage of home infusion of drugs under Medicare and rebates paid to government for drugs bought under the Medicaid program.

Besides Congress, Pfizer lobbied the departments of Defense, Treasury, Veterans Affairs, and Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration, the White House and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Among those lobbying on the company’s behalf in the January-March period was Anthony Principi, former U.S. Secretary for Veterans Affairs, according to a disclosure report filed April 18 with the House clerk’s office.