Pfizer Continues To Wildly Outspend Peers On Lobbying -- Now A Four Year Trend -- Of Doubling Merck.

No surprise here [see updated graphic, at right], given the former Pfizer CEO's strong and ardent support of Trump -- and desire to blunt any real efforts at price reform. Merck, under Mr. Frazier [to his credit] has pulled back on wasteful lobby spend. It is increasingly clear that nothing serious will happen -- in the time of Trump -- on price reform. That's especially true with the regressive tax package now long put to bed / all done.

Well. . . in any event, here is most of what Pfizer lobbied for, during the fourth quarter just closed:

◙ Creates Act, Patent Thickets/Hopping. . .

◙ Medicare Part D Coverage Gap, Rebate Reform, Out of Pocket Costs, Value Based Arrangements, Price Transparency. . .

◙ Comprehensive Corporate Tax Reform, International Tax Reform, OECD Profit Allocation. . .

◙ U.S.-Japan Trade Negotiations, China Trade Negotiations, NAFTA/USMCA, Foreign Market Access Issues. . .

◙ Health Extenders/Congressional Appropriations. . .

◙ Drug pricing. . .

◙ Trade issues. . .

◙ Issues re: research data protection provisions in USMCA, tracking congressional consideration of USMCA, tracking Section 301 investigation on China, tracking U.S.-Japan and U.S.-EU negotiations. . . .

Ahem. . . now you know -- and Pfizer continues to greatly out-spend even mighty Apple, per dollar of sales revenue -- on lobbyists. Okay, next up: full year 2019 data tallies and graphics, along with Amgen's corresponding total spend -- especially if the Super Bowl turns into a bore. . . C'mon, Patrick Mahomes. . . grin.

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