The trend from the last three years continued again in 2018. Pfizer and Amgen, especially spend quite a bit (compared to Merck), as a proportion of their relative size -- to lobby the US Congress-critters (both House and Senate, and both R., and D.). Here (for the record) is some of what Pfizer was on about, in late 2018:
. . . .Drug Pricing, Antibiotic Resistance/incentives, Drug Shortages, Reimbursement for products treating Sickle Cell Disease, PAHPA. . . .
Creates Act, Transferable exclusivity. . . .
Medicare Part D, Coverage Gap. . . .
Comprehensive Corporate Tax Reform, Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA). . . .
2018 FDA & Labor/HHS Appropriation Bills, Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018. . . .
US-Japan Trade Agreement. . . .
If anyone expresses an interest, I will also post what Amgen was lobbying about -- but understand that Amgen is a more focused biologics company, and so it faces more novel and still unresolved legislative and regulatory issues, in more pockets in the US -- that those a straight up powder-pill-pharma might (most of that powder-pill law and lore is now well-settled).
That said, both Merck and Pfizer have formidable biologics businesses, here in the back half of the 'teens. Onward -- with cool, but pleasant skies ahead -- and only a few days until. . . the desert -- for a week's respite. Smile.
नमस्ते
