By Donald Zuhn --
Regular Patent Docs readers have likely noticed that we have been paying close attention to the lobbying efforts of various players in the biotech/pharma industry. Our interest in the lobbying expenditures of these companies and organizations stems from the push by Congress over the past year to pass patent reform and follow-on biologics legislation. In previous reports, we noted that a handful of biotech/pharma companies and organizations spent significant amounts of money lobbying the federal government in the first quarter of 2008, including:
• The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) -- $3.6 million
• Pfizer, Inc. -- $2.8 million
• Amgen Inc. -- $2.5 million
• The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) -- $1.9 million
• Barr Pharmaceuticals, Inc. -- $1.7 million
• Monsanto Co. -- $1.3 million
• Novartis AG -- $1.3 million
• Sanofi-Aventis -- $1.2 million
• Abbott Laboratories -- $880,000
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. -- $840,000
• AstraZeneca PLC -- $770,000
• Wyeth -- $700,000
• Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. -- $640,000
• Genentech, Inc. -- $591,000
• Schering-Plough Corp. -- $520,000
• Cephalon, Inc. -- $512,000
• The Generic Pharmaceutical Association (GPhA) -- $434,495
• Endo Pharmaceuticals -- $410,000
• Syngenta AG -- $400,000
• Biogen Idec Inc.: $200,000
Now that the reporting deadline for second quarter (April to June) lobbying has passed, additional reports are coming out regarding the expenditures of a number of biotech/pharma companies and organizations, including:
• The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), whose members include Pfizer, Amgen Inc., and Eli Lilly & Co., spent $5 million on second quarter lobbying (see Pharmaceutical Online report). According to PhRMA's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the trade group's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation, which the group opposed, and follow-on biologics legislation.
• Pfizer Inc. spent nearly $3.1 million on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to Pfizer's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation and the importance of protecting pharmaceutical patents internationally.
• Eli Lilly & Co. spent $2.9 million on second quarter lobbying (see MSN Money report). According to the Lilly's lobbying disclosure, the Indianapolis, IN-based drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.
• Amgen Inc. spent nearly $2.9 million on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to the biotech drugmaker's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the Thousand Oaks, CA-based company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation.
• GlaxoSmithKline PLC spent $1.8 million on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to GSK's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation, which the company opposed, and follow-on biologics legislation.
• Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc. spent over $1.5 million on second quarter lobbying (see CNNMoney.com report). According to the generic drugmaker's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the Montvale, NJ-based company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.
• AstraZeneca PLC spent more than $1.3 million on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to the pharmaceutical maker's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the London-based company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation.
• Novartis AG spent over $1.3 million on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to Novartis' July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the pharmaceutical company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation, which the group opposed, and follow-on biologics legislation.
• Merck & Co. Inc. spent nearly $1.2 million on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to Merck's July 18 filing with the House clerk's office, the drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation, which the Whitehouse Station, NJ-based company opposed.
• Abbott Laboratories spent just over $1 million on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to the drug and medical device maker's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the Abbott Park, IL-based company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation, which the company opposed, and follow-on biologics legislation.
• Baxter International Inc. spent $900,000 on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to Baxter's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the drug and medical device maker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation, which the company opposed.
• Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. spent almost $830,000 on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to the pharmaceutical maker's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics and patent reform legislation.
• Wyeth spent more than $801,000 on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to Wyeth's July 28 filing with the House clerk's office, the Madison, NJ-based drugmaker's lobbying efforts were directed in part at follow-on biologics legislation and the importance of protecting pharmaceutical patents internationally.
• Cephalon spent nearly $516,000 on second quarter lobbying (see Forbes.com report). According to the biotech drugmaker's July 21 filing with the House clerk's office, the Frazer, PA-based company's lobbying efforts were directed in part at patent reform legislation.
In response to our last report on biotech/pharma lobbying, one Patent Docs reader inquired about the lobbying costs of IT companies and organizations, which unlike their biotech/pharma counterparts, favor more "radical" patent reform. An online search revealed that a number of IT companies and organizations disclosed equally significant second quarter lobbying expenditures, including:
• General Electric Co. -- $5.4 million (see Forbes.com report)
• Comcast Corp. -- $2.8 million (see Forbes.com report)
• Microsoft Corp. -- $2.3 million (see Forbes.com report)
• Dell Inc. -- $770,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• Google Inc. -- $730,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• Yahoo Inc. -- $630,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• Alcatel-Lucent -- $621,313 (see Forbes.com report)
• eBay Inc. -- $568,500 (see Forbes.com report)
• Hewlett-Packard Co. -- $450,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• The Business Software Alliance (BSA), a trade group that includes Microsoft Corp., McAfee Inc., and Hewlett-Packard Co. -- $360,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• Apple Inc. -- $450,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• Amazon.com Inc. -- $300,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• Cisco Systems Inc. -- $300,000 (see Forbes.com report)
• Adobe Systems Inc. -- $98,849 (see Forbes.com report)
All of the above entities disclosed that their second quarter lobbying expenses were directed in part at patent reform legislation.
For additional information regarding this topic, please see:
• "Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard - Part II," June 30, 2008
• "Biotech/Pharma Lobbying Scoreboard" June 6, 2008
• "Lobbying Spending Spree Continues," May 20, 2008
• "Abbott's First Quarter Lobbying Tab Hits $880,000," May 2, 2008
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