Healthy Skepticism Library item: 16011

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Publication type: news

Habib-Valdhorn S.
Teva spent $1.8m on US lobbying in first half
Globes Online 2009 Jul 20
http://www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/docview.asp?did=1000482633

Full text:

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. spent $840,000 on lobbying the US authorities in the second quarter of 2009, less than in the preceding quarter. However, the $1.8 million spent on lobbying in the first half was 66% more than in the first half of 2008.
As the US Congress comes nearer toward passing a biogenerics law to regulate the marketing of generic biological treatments, Teva is focusing its efforts on influencing US legislators.

In March, Representatives Henry Waxman (Democrat, California) and Nathan Deal (Republican, Georgia) introduced the bill. Waxman introduced the Hatch-Waxman Act (the Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984), which regularized the marketing of generic drugs in the US. The new bill includes a five-year exclusivity period for brand drugs, while pharmaceutical companies are seeking a 14-year exclusivity period. Teva and other generic drug companies strongly support the bill, while the Biotechnology Industry Organization condemns it.
Last week, the biotechnology companies won a victory in the Senate, when the Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions voted to grant a 12-year exclusivity period. The decision is not final, and the generic drug companies will invest heavily in money and lobbying to get change it.