Most of Congress continues to accept campaign contributions from the pharmaceutical industry

Lev Facher reports for Stat News that the pharmaceutical industry donated to the campaigns of 356 members of Congress this year. Pharmaceutical companies want to be sure their voice is strong when Congress considers prescription drug legislation. If few members of Congress support meaningful drug price regulation, their acceptance of drug company campaign monies will be one reason.

All in, the pharmaceutical companies donated around $11 million to Congressional campaigns through their political action committees or PACs this past campaign season. More than $8.5 million went to individual candidates. These PACs wrote some 4,700 checks. This is business as usual for them.

The pharmaceutical companies know that their campaign contributions give them sizable influence in policymaking around prescription drugs. Pfizer alone sent 548 checks to members of Congress through its PAC. Amgen sent 405 checks. Merck wrote 379 checks.

These campaign donations are smart investments for the pharmaceutical industry. Drugmakers often see payback quickly. Already, Congress has ensured that federal health care agencies receive billions of dollars to hand out to drug companies for research.

Not surprisingly, Mitch McConnell, the Senate Majority Leader, took in more in campaign contributions from Big PhRMA than any other member of Congress. He received more than $197,000 in total. Republican Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Cory Gardner of Colorado, John Cornyn of Texas and Steve Daines of Montana each received at least $100,000 from the drug industry.

On the Democratic side, the pharmaceutical industry donated the most to Senators Chris Coons and Bob Menendez. And, Senator Ron Wyden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, took money from two drug industry groups.

The Center for Responsive Politics explains that, through campaign contributions, drug manufacturers build a relationship with members of Congress. The relationship, in turn, gives them easy entree into discussions about government regulation of the drug industry, if not a seat at the table.

STAT’s analysis looked at 25 pharmaceutical industry groups. Of the campaign contributions, 2600 donations, slightly more than half, went to Republicans or Republican groups; 2100 donations went to Democrats or Democratic groups.

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