PhRMA plows $22M into 2007 lobbying

Did a big boost in drug industry lobbying pay off last year? The industry's top trade group, PhRMA, spent more than $22 million lobbying in 2007--a 25 percent increase from the year before. And according to the Associated Press, that investment reaped some dividends, as proposals aimed at lowering drug prices and restricting DTC ads were left behind in Congress.

According to lobbying experts though, 2008 could be an even more treacherous year for pharma in the nation's capital. "This seems to be a case where the increase in lobbying activity is defensive, not offensive," a government watchdog told the AP.

- get more on pharma's 2007 lobbying efforts from the AP
- find the recap on pharma's pet issues at Pharmalot

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