Pharmaceutical influence peddling

Drug Companies and Politicians

Anyone who was born yesterday will enjoy this heart-warming fairy tale about how drug companies work tirelessly to help “educate” our elected officials.

Last week, a Medill News Service article published a few juicy highlights from official congressional travel reports. An analysis of the reports was conducted by Medill, the Center for Public Integrity, and American Public Media.

Among the eye opening details:
Between 2000 and 2005, the five top drug companies devoted about $84,000 to pay for trips for congressmen and congressional staff members
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) shelled out the most: $44,000 for junkets sponsored exclusively by GSK (Pfizer came in second, spending more than $17,000)
GSK also paid out more than $54,000 as a co-sponsor of at least 30 congressional trips
And here’s an especially annoying item: Pfizer devoted more than $11,000 to sponsor several trips for a senator who was involved in negotiating the 2003 Medicare Prescription Drug Act – an act that’s widely seen as a big beautiful gift to drug giants at the expense of seniors.

Ken Johnson, the vice president of communications for Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America (a drug industry advocacy group), told Medill that drug companies organize the trips to help lawmakers understand “complicated technology and specialized research.”

Well of course! There’s no WAY that could get done in Washington! You know those lawmakers: They just don’t understand technology unless it’s explained to them on a golf course in Puerto Rico or Brazil (two of the destinations named in the report).

Mary Ann Rhyne, a spokesperson for GSK, told Medill that the company didn’t actually pay for the Brazil and Puerto Rico trips. She explained that GSK made donations to the group that sponsored a retreat and took care of membership dues with the organization that sponsored the Brazil getaways.

I wonder if Ms. Rhyne realizes that her comment offers a candid glimpse of accounting department metaphors. Dues. Donations. Payments. Whatever!

Source: “Drug Industry Prescribes to Congressional Power Trips” Gerry Smith, Medill News Service, 6/6/06, marketwatch.com