Healthy Skepticism Library item: 4527

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

LobbyWatch: Lobbying Firm- Policy Directions Inc
The Center for Public Integrity 2006 Apr 29
http://www.publicintegrity.org/lobby/profile.aspx?act=firms&year=2003&lo=L002522

Keywords:
Lester Crawford

Notes:

Ralph Faggotter’s Comments:

Polic directions Inc is currently in the news as it is the firm to which Lester Crawford chose to move when he resigned from the FDA.

This particular choice provides us with some insight into his natural leanings.

Vera Hassner Sharav’s Comments:

His [Lester Crawford’s] abrupt departure as FDA Commissioner occurred under a cloud of
controversy abut reports of undisclosed stock sales in companies regulated
by the FDA. Notwithstanding Crawford’s claim that he had decided to retire
at age 67, The Times reports “He has since joined a Washington lobbying
firm, Policy Directions Inc.”

The companies represented by Policy Directions Inc are regulated by the
FDA, raising questions about the propriety of high government
officials—particularly those who head regualtory agencies—blithely moving
to lobbying firms that represent the same industries. There are
additional accusations of financial conflicts of interest.

Among the long list of food, drug and cosmetics companies that have hired
Policy Directions, Inc to lobby the FDA and Congress:

Nestle USA Inc.; Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America; Baylor
University; Merck & Co.; American Feed Industry Association; Altria Group
Inc ; National Association for Biomedical Research; State University of
New York; Amgen Inc.; Genzyme Corp.; Baxter Healthcare Corp.; U.S.
ONCOLOGY; Society for Neuroscience; Sanofi-Aventis; National Renderers
Association; Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals; Procter & Gamble Co.;
American College of Neuropsychopharmachology; Grocery Manufacturers of
America; Pharmavite LLC; Turner Strategies; Alpharma; Cellerant
Therapeutics; Depression & Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA); Genelabs
Technologies, Inc; Eli Lilly and Co.; Visx Inc; Millennium
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Orphan Medical, Inc.; Biotech Coalition; Covance
Inc.; Bayer Corp.; Animal Health Institute; Cosmetic, Toiletry &
Fragrance Association.

Of note, among Policy Directions’ clients are also several “not-for-profit”
organizations and universities that directly and indirectly lobby with the
pharmaceutical industry.

According to Center for the Public Intesest , between 1998-2004 they
earned— $6,975,000 in lobbying fees; In 2004 they earned — $1,320,000

http://www.ahrp.org/cms/

Full text:

Lobbying Firm
Policy Directions Inc
Lobbying 1998-2004: $6,975,000
Lobbying 2004: $1,320,000

see The Center for Public Integrity website for detailed graphs etc