In Q1 2014, Merck Cut Its Lobbying Spend In Half -- Will Decrease Persist?

Here it is, fresh from the Senate's public Forms LD-2 database, overnight.

Even at this surprisingly reduced spend level (off election cycle?) -- it is notable that Merck is still lobbying on biologic exclusivity periods, and patent "pay for delay" policies, as well as the more robust extra- territorial enforcement of its patents -- primarily, in India. Still, the decrease is rather remarkable. So I am. . . remarking. With a spruced up graphic ,too. [Heh.] Here is some more detail from the form -- just filed overnight:

. . . .Alzheimer's education (no specific bill); 340B (no specific bill); National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act (H.R. 1074, S. 539); Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes Prevention, Access and Care Act (H.R. 3322); Hepatitis C education (no specific bill); adult vaccine policies (no specific bill); medication adherence (no specific bill); DISARM (H.R. 4187). . . .

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); R&D tax credit (no specific bill). . . .

Non-interference in Medicare Part D (no specific bill); Medicaid-style rebates in Medicare Part D (no specific bill); Low Income Subsidy Copays in Part D (no specific bill); Independent Payment Advisory Board (S. 351, H.R. 351); sustainable growth rate (H.R. 4302). . . .

Trans-Pacific Partnership (no specific bill); biologic data exclusivity (no specific bill); trade promotion authority (no specific bill); treatment of intellectual property in India (no specific bill); Playing Fair on Trade and Innovation Act (HR 3167); additives in beef cattle (no specific bill); trade adjustment assistance (no specific bill); international trade barriers for beta-agonists (no specific bill). . . .

Deficit reduction (no specific bill); ADAP funding (no specific bill); omnibus appropriations; Patent reform (H.R. 3309, S. 1720 ); education on beta agonists (no specific bill). . . .

That last little bit, bolded, on beta agonists is lobbying to reintroduce Zilmax^® (the cattle feed additive is a beta agonist, just like Merck's Foradil^® inhaler contains -- but I strongly suspect this is not about people breathing easy!) in the US. Now you know. But I'd not bet that the overall Merck lobby-spend will be at half of last year, when the full year is tallied.