Drugmakers' trade group spent $5.4M lobbying in 3Q

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, also lobbied the federal government on legislation involving allowing generic versions of biologic drugs, reimportation of prescription drugs, and the budgets for the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services.

PhRMA opposed an effort in Congress to reform the U.S. patent system. High-tech companies support the bill that passed the House last year, saying it would cut down on frivolous patent-infringement lawsuits. But the pharmaceutical industry has argued it will weaken patent protections on drugs by reducing infringement penalties. The bill has stalled in the Senate and is not expected to pass this year.

PhRMA also lobbied on a bill designed to give the FDA authority to approve generic versions of biotech drugs. Unlike traditional chemical drugs, biotech drugs have never faced generic competition because the FDA lacks authority to approve cheaper copies.

Other issues included international patent rights, anti-counterfeiting measures, marketing to consumers and to physicians, lawsuits and product liability, and matters related to the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

The trade group has more than 30 members, including Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., GlaxoSmithKline PLC, Johnson & Johnson, Merck & Co., Novartis Corp., Pfizer Inc., Sanofi-Aventis SA, other drugmakers and several biotech companies.

In the July-September period, PhRMA lobbied Congress, the departments of Commerce and Health and Human Services, the FDA, National Security Council, Congressional Budget Office, Patent and Trademark Office, U.S. Trade Representative and National Economic Council, according to the report filed Oct. 20 with the House clerk's office.

Former Louisiana Rep. Billy Tauzin, PhRMA's president and chief executive, is one of the group's registered lobbyists.

Others include: Mimi Kneuer, who was Tauzin's former chief of staff; Amy Efantis, former legislative director for Rep. Artur Davis, D-Ala.; Valerie Jewett, former legislative director for Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, R-N.J.; and Matt Sulkala, who was senior legislative assistant to Rep. Allen Boyd, D-Fla.