More than 450 lobbyists battled drug pricing reform in Washington last year

To witness the factiousness of drug pricing politics, look no further than the lobbyists. Drug makers like Pfizer, Merck, and 32 others dropped more than $120 million in 2019 to press lawmakers in Washington to oppose prescription drug pricing reform, STAT’s Nicholas Florko writes. 

The trade group PhRMA, alone, spent $28.9 million last year on lobbyists — exceeding its 2018 record of $27.5 million.

It’s not just the biopharma industry attempting to sway lawmakers on drug pricing. Physicians, big box stores, and even universities all weighed in on Capitol Hill. 

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