Merck Spends $10.235 Million -- On Lobbying, This Year, Through Q3 2013

It looks like Merck spent at least $1.645 million in Q3 2013 alone, on lobbying.

Were I a betting man, then, I'd bet that Merck will eclipse its previous annual high water mark of $10.6 million, this year.

We shall see -- but here's what they spent it on (in the most significant buckets):

. . . ..▲ Patent settlements (no specific bill).

▲ Non-interference in Medicare Part D (no specific bill); Medicaid-style rebates in Medicare Part D (no specific bill); Independent Payment Advisory Board (S. 351, H.R. 351).

▲ Alzheimer's education (no specific bill); 340b (no specific bill); hepatitis C education (no specific bill).

▲ Comprehensive tax reform (no specific bill); transfer pricing of intangibles (no specific bill); territorial tax system (no specific bill); deferral of taxation of foreign earned income (no specific bill); tax base erosion (no specific bill).

▲ Trans-Pacific Partnership (no specific bill); biologic data exclusivity (no specific bill); US-EU trade agreement (no specific bill); trade promotion authority (no specific bill); treatment of intellectual property in India (no specific bill); additives in beef cattle (no specific bill).

▲ Supply chain safety (no specific bills).

▲ Access to over-the-counter medications (no specific bill); compounding (no specific bill).

▲ Deficit reduction (no specific bill); ADAP funding (no specific bill).

▲ Animal Drug User Fee Act (ADUFA). . . .

We will keep you posted -- but I will shortly write a new post -- of the connection between these figures, and Merck's recent India announcement. Fascinating, that.