Pharma Industry Spends Big on Lobbying Amid COVID-19, Upcoming Election

September 24

Over the past six months, the pharmaceutical industry spent more than $156 million on lobbying even as drugmakers have been racing to produce coronavirus vaccines and treatments. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) spent $14.43 million in the first half of 2020, according to the U.S. Senate Lobbying Disclosure Act Database. Lobbying expenditures from Gilead Sciences jumped by 26%, going from $2.94 million in the first half of 2019 to $3.71 million over the same period in 2020. Meanwhile, drugmakers have distributed thousands of checks to lawmakers ahead of this year’s election, according to a recent Stat analysis. The industry has traditionally supported Republican candidates, and it donated nearly $200,000 to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) this year. Among the 14 lawmakers who’ve received more than $100,000 from the industry in 2020, 11 are Republican lawmakers and six are senators up for reelection.

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Radar on Drug Benefits

Jinghong Chen Reporter

Jinghong has been producing infographics and data stories on employer-sponsored insurance, public health insurance programs and prescription drug coverage for AIS Health’s Health Plan Weekly and Radar on Drug Benefits since 2018. She also manages AIS Health’s annual executive compensation database for top insurers and Blue Cross and Blue Shield affiliates. Before joining AIS Health, she interned at WBEZ, Al Jazeera English and The New York Times Chinese. She graduated from Missouri School of Journalism with a focus on data journalism and international reporting.