Are PhRMA and Democrats going through a messy breakup?

I asked PhRMA President and CEO Steve Ubl last week what Democrats’ marque drug pricing bill, H.R. 3, said about the state of PhRMA’s relationship with Democrats. 

Ubl demurred. “I don’t know. You’d have to ask them,” he told me. 

So, that’s what I did, and here’s what they told me:

Former HHS Secretary and freshman Rep. Donna Shalala: “As the public left the drug industry, Congress left it too...The public is down on the drug industry. They’re the bad guys now because no one can explain why England can pay less than we can pay for drugs.” 

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chair Mark Pocan: “The break has occurred from the pharmaceutical industry a decade or more ago… We’re just finally using the power because we’re in the majority to do something about it.” 

Pocan had a much more colorful response when I asked him whether he cared what the drug industry thought about H.R. 3. “I don’t give a flying ...” Pocan said, before a long pause. He added: “fig.” Something tells me the word he was grasping for wasn’t fig...

But others were less willing to wail on the drug makers. Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told me “I don’t know what it says” about Dems’ relationship to drug makers, but he was quick to add that he does listen when drug makers say the bill could harm innovation. “The American pharmaceutical industry frankly has provided miracle drugs,” Hoyer added.

For what it’s worth, Ubl insists PhRMA will continue to engage with Democrats. “We’re a bipartisan organization, we are going to continue to engage with members on both sides of the aisle,” Ubl added. 

Also — did you miss last week’s whirlwind day of hearings about H.R. 3? I’ve got you covered here.