Cardinal Health Spent $1.6M on Lobbying

Cardinal's representatives lobbied on legislation affecting the Food and Drug Administration's regulation of drug distribution. The company also lobbied on legislation that would have allowed for the importation of cheaper drugs from Canada.

The Dublin, Ohio-based company spent $580,000 during the second half of 2007, according to a form disclosed Feb. 14 by the Senate's office of public records.

Cardinal Health also lobbied on bills aimed at preventing pay cuts to pharmacies that participate in the government's Medicaid program, which provides health care to the poor. Pharmacies have argued that they would not be adequately paid for medications under a new reimbursement formula proposed by the government.

A U.S. District Court Judge granted an injunction against the new pricing rules in December.

Lobbyists are required to disclose activities that could influence members of the executive and legislative branches, under a federal law enacted in 1995.