Pharmaceutical lobby

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The pharmaceutical lobby refers to the representatives of pharmaceutical drug and biomedicine companies who engage in lobbying in favour of pharmaceutical companies and their products. Lobbying takes place at national and international levels, including institutions such as the United States Congress, the European Parliament, and the World Health Organization. Large companies such as Pfizer, Novartis, and Roche lobby directly or through trade groups like Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA). Common methods include meetings with policymakers, public campaigns, political donations, and litigation to challenge regulations or protect patents. Critics argue this influence contributes to high drug prices and conflicts of interest, while supporters say it can support innovation and access to new medicines. The role of pharmaceutical companies in shaping international agreements and national policies remains a subject of academic and political discussion. The largest pharmaceutical companies and their two trade groups, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and Biotechnology Innovation Organization, lobbied on at least 1,600 pieces of legislation between 1998 and 2004. According to the non-partisan OpenSecrets, pharmaceutical companies spent $900 million on lobbying between 1998 and 2005, more than any other industry. During the same period, they donated $89.9 million to federal candidates and political parties, giving approximately three times as much to Republicans as to Democrats. According to the Center for Public Integrity, from January 2005 through June 2006 alone, the pharmaceutical industry spent approximately $182 million on federal lobbying in the United States.