PHA-Exchange> Pharma industry's influence

[aviva]

From: j.salmon at attbi.com

February 6, 2003
>>
>>Campaign Funds Help Steer U.S. Stance on Drug Patents: After Aiding
>>Republicans, Drug Companies Prevail on Limiting Drugs to Poor Nations
>>
>>By TOM HAMBURGER, Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
>>
>>WASHINGTON - Pharmaceutical companies shelled out more than $50
million 
>>to help
>>Republicans win control of Congress last November. Days after the
election,
>>when international trade talks threatened their profitable drug
patents, the
>>companies sought help from Republicans.
>>
>>And they got it. More than two dozen Republican lawmakers signed
letters
>>opposing efforts to dilute the industry's international patent rights
in 
>>order
>>to make less costly drugs available to patients in poor countries.
Sen. Bill
>>Frist of Tennessee, a top election strategist who since has become
Senate
>>majority leader, phoned U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick
with 
>>the same
>>message. Top White House aides phoned Mr. Zoellick's office to
express 
>>concern
>>as well.
>>
>>On Dec. 20, the industry celebrated a victory when the U.S., alone
among the
>>144-member World Trade Organization, blocked a proposal for
distributing
>>patented medicines to less-developed nations. Foreign diplomats and
>>international relief workers say lobbyists' pressure led Mr. Zoellick
to
>>backtrack on an earlier U.S. commitment. U.S. trade officials deny
that,
>>insisting the administration merely prevented the WTO from expanding
the 
>>scope
>>of that commitment.
>>
>>Powerful Friends
>>
>>But the episode makes one fact of American political life undeniably
clear:
>>After spending millions of dollars on campaign help in recent years,
the
>>pharmaceutical industry has accumulated powerful friends it can turn
to in a
>>pinch.
>>