{"articles":[{"reaction_config":[{"text":"Yes","color":"#624960","stance":"yes"},{"text":"Maybe","color":"#edb723","stance":"maybe"},{"text":"No","color":"#4ac6ec","stance":"no"}],"id":20035,"title":"Pharma Shatters Lobbying Records","html_content":"

by Axios | 1.23.19

The pharmaceutical industry's 2 leading trade groups both set records for lobbying spending in 2018 — a sign of just how much the industry believes is on the line in the political battle over drug prices.

By the numbers: PhRMA, the industry's largest trade organization, spent $27.5 million on lobbying last year, per Bloomberg. That's the most it has ever spent in 1 year. A full $10 million of that came in the first quarter — the most PhRMA has ever spent in a single quarter.

The Biotechnology Innovation Organization, meanwhile, spent just shy of $10 million, according to STAT — also a record.

Those totals don't include the millions individual drug companies spent on their own lobbyists. They also don't include the industry's campaign contributions, which topped $17 million in the 2018 cycle, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Between the lines: PhRMA set its previous lobbying record during the debate over the Affordable Care Act, trying to stop a fully Democratic government from taking a bite out of its bottom line.

It's remarkable that PhRMA would break that record in a year where Republicans — the industry's allies — controlled the House, Senate and White House.

","image_urls":{"small":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1548245407/axios-rss/cnnba843aligdkqnewe2.jpg","medium":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1548245407/axios-rss/cnnba843aligdkqnewe2.jpg","large":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1548245407/axios-rss/cnnba843aligdkqnewe2.jpg","thumb":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1548245407/axios-rss/cnnba843aligdkqnewe2.jpg","xsmall":"https://ul.countable.us/ul/v1548245407/axios-rss/cnnba843aligdkqnewe2.jpg"},"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/articles/20035-pharma-shatters-lobbying-records","article_comments":"https://www.causes.com/api/articles/20035-pharma-shatters-lobbying-records/comments"},"comment_count":84,"action_count":642,"cta_prompt":"Are you concerned about the pharmaceutical industry's record spending on lobbying?","cta_type":"reactions","share_count":5,"published_at":"2019-01-23T12:10:09.899Z","is_countable_article":false,"allow_advocacy":true,"profile_id":55,"signed":false,"signatures_count":null,"signatures_goal":100,"signable_progress":0,"video_url":null,"video_dimensions":null,"video_aspect_ratio":null}],"users":[{"name":"Marylynn","vote_count":482,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-hat.png"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/5mblzqvW/following","followers":"/api/users/5mblzqvW/followers"},"about_me":"","twitter_id":null,"facebook_id":null,"youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":null,"slug":null,"issue_count":1,"is_following":null,"influence_score":1150,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":39,"following_count":0,"position_count":443,"id":"5mblzqvW","partner_id":null},{"name":"Glowurm","vote_count":442,"photos":{"large":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png","small":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png","tiny":"https://assets.causes.com/user/avatar/default-with-flags.png"},"links":{"following":"/api/users/ZBexoxrX/following","followers":"/api/users/ZBexoxrX/followers"},"about_me":"","twitter_id":"","facebook_id":"","youtube_id":null,"google_plus_id":null,"website":"","slug":"glowurm","issue_count":2,"is_following":null,"influence_score":4290,"influence_level":30,"follower_count":161,"following_count":269,"position_count":438,"id":"ZBexoxrX","partner_id":null}],"article_comment":{"flagged":false,"id":685212,"body":"This proves our lawmakers can be bought and paid for by Big Pharma. It also proves why our drug prices are skyrocketing. ","parent_type":"Article","parent_id":20035,"created_at":"2019-01-23T16:33:32.695Z","liked":false,"like_count":1,"links":{"self":"https://www.causes.com/comments/685212","likers":"https://www.causes.com/api/v1/likers?likeable_id=685212&likeable_type=Comment"},"article_id":20035,"shareable_image_url":"https://n.causes.com/share-images/comments/685212.png","note":{"text":"Yes","color":"#624960","stance":"yes"},"note_text":"Yes","note_color":"#624960","user_id":"5mblzqvW","liker_ids":["ZBexoxrX"]}}

Like Causes?

Comment Liked by 1 User