Despite its threats, PhRMA is still supporting Democrats who voted for Medicare negotiation

Drugmakers’ powerhouse lobby did not exactly make good on its early August threat to hold Democrats “accountable” this fall after the caucus voted to let the government negotiate drug prices.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America’s political action committee put $2,000 towards the New Democrat Coalition Action Fund on Aug. 22, just weeks after every member voted for the sweeping Inflation Reduction Act that includes an unprecedented move to let the federal government negotiate the prices of some of the country’s costliest medicines.

PhRMA has a history of contributing to incumbent candidates in both parties, and much of the organization’s spending that month did go to Republican PACs, according to new federal election disclosures. They put $2,500 to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio’s campaign and the same figure towards Common Values PAC, a committee to reinstall a GOP majority in the Senate, as well as toward Montana Red. However the contribution to a Democratic PAC flies in the face of PhRMA CEO Stephen Ubl’s summer threats that Democrats would be held “accountable” by the powerful lobby if they voted for the drug pricing measure.

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