PhRMA spent more than $22 million in lobbying efforts in 2007

WASHINGTON The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America spent more than $22 million lobbying the federal government in 2007, according to the Associated Press.

Over half of the money was spent to lobby how prices were set for seniors’ medications and rules for governing drug imports.

Some of the issues PhRMA advocated against were: a proposal for the government to negotiate drug prices for Medicare Part D; legislation that would allow the U.S. to import cheaper drugs from foreign countries; patent reform that the group argued would have weakened protection on drug patents; and a bill overhauling the Food and Drug Administration’s drug safety system.

Ken Johnson, a senior vice president at the trade group, said that while the industry faced many challenges on Capitol Hill last year, most of the increased spending went toward advertisements urging Congress to reauthorize the State Children’s Health Insurance program.