The pharmaceutical industry has untold billions available to make its case for unfettered actions on every front – pricing, clinical trials, marketing, safety regulation, trade policy, and more. Some of the money is spent influencing state and federal lawmakers. Other funding goes to fake grassroots groups or to fund patient advocacy groups and various medical provider specialty associations. Still more money is invested in sophisticated marketing campaigns, data mining, and public relations. The pharmaceutical industry even commissioned a thriller with a plot involving the importation of counterfeit drugs as part of its public relations offensive. Drug manufacturers, PBMs and other cogs in this complex and powerful industry have been repeatedly sued, and have paid billions in fines and payments to resolve criminal and civil charges, in cases brought by states, the federal government and industry whistleblowers.

Researching this Issue

News articles, reports and background information on pharmaceutical industry lobbying and spending are posted here. Relevant materials are also posted on the issue pages on Medicaid & Medicare, which includes information on false claims act and other fraud cases; Advertising & Marketing, on industry activities to market drugs to medical providers and the general public; Pricing, which has information on drug prices; Safety & Clinical Trials which has information on how the industry influences medical practice guidelines and drug safety trials; Importation, which has information comparing drug prices in the U.S. with prices I other countries; Trade, which details the industry’s role influencing trade policy; and Pharmacy Benefit Managers, about the drug industry middlemen that negotiate between manufacturers and benefit plans. See also the Related Links below to connect to other organizations and materials relevant to this issue.