Q3 2015 Lobby Reports Coming In; Merck Amends Q3 2014

This is very likely a smallish item -- as we wait for the tally on all Q3 2015 lobby spend to come in next week, but apparently Merck did NOT lobby in the last relevant Q3 period (in the third quarter of 2014) on the reintroduction of Zilmax^®, in the US (and, presumably, Canadian) markets. Here is the background -- on the animal health unit's Zilmax flap. I am puzzled, but I don't suspect that this will turn out to be connected to anything untoward -- no, it just seems to have been a transcription error.

Specifically, just a few days ago (likely as Kenilworth prepared its quarterly filing for this year's Q3), Merck amended its last year Lobbying Disclosure LD-2 form. The only difference, to my eye, was the removal of the following language, from Q3 2014 -- so, I've shown it as a strike-through -- in context:

. . . .340B (no specific bill), National Diabetes Clinical Care Commission Act (H.R. 1074, S.539), Eliminating Disparities in Diabetes Prevention Act (H.R. 3322), Oncology education (no specific bill), adult vaccine policies (no specific bill), medication adherence, DISARM (H.R. 4187), ACA Implementation (no specific bill), Hepatitis C education (no specific bill), HIV education (no specific bill), MODDERN Cures Act of 2013 (H.R. 3116), Prescription Drug User Fee Act (general planning), 21st Century Cures (no specific bill), Strengthening Medicare Anti-Fraud Measures Act of 2013 (H.R. 2925), Big data (general education), Alzheimer's education (no specific bill), biosimilars (general education, no specific bill), general pharmaceutical industry issues and education.

Comprehensive tax reform (no specific bill), orphan drug tax credit (S.1128), R&D tax credit (no specific bill), tax base erosion (no specific bill), territorial tax system (no specific bill)

Medicare Part D (general education, no specific bill), low-income subsidy co-pay proposals in Medicare Part D (no specific bill), sustainable growth rate (no specific bill)

Additives in beef cattle (no specific bill)

Intellectual property (general education, no specific bill), patent reform (general education, no specific bill)

Education on beta-agonists (no specific bill), education on antibiotics and veterinary biologics (no specific bill). . . .

That is rather unusual -- but I suspect that Zilmax will not be reintroduced in the US or Canada -- even in the next year. . . And so -- a glorious weekend awaits! Onward! Keep it spinning in good karma, folks. . . . I'm out!