Former President Donald Trump proposes a lifetime ban on lobbying for ex-government employees, taking aim at the FDA and Big Pharma’s influence on public health policies.
At a Glance
- Trump advocates for a ban on government employees becoming lobbyists after their service
- The pharmaceutical industry spent $4.7 billion on lobbying from 1999 to 2018
- Americans spent $535 billion on prescription drugs in 2018, a 50% increase since 2010
- Trump’s proposal aims to limit the revolving door between federal agencies and regulated industries
- 281 lobbyists worked in the Trump administration, despite his “drain the swamp” promise
Trump’s Proposal to Combat Big Pharma Influence
In a recent interview, former President Donald Trump proposed a lifetime ban on lobbying for former federal employees. This bold move aims to address the longstanding issue of the “revolving door” between government agencies and the industries they regulate, particularly focusing on the pharmaceutical industry and its influence on public health policies.
Trump’s proposal comes amid growing concerns about the pharmaceutical industry’s immense lobbying power and its impact on drug prices and healthcare policies. The industry has consistently been one of the biggest spenders on lobbying efforts in Washington, with far-reaching consequences for American consumers.
JUST IN: Donald Trump calls out the FDA employee to Big Pharma lobbyist pipeline, says anyone who goes into government should be banned from ever being a lobbyist.
Trump's comments came during an interview with Theo Von where he called for the end of Big Pharma's chokehold on… pic.twitter.com/JGiVv8eh93
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) August 20, 2024
The Staggering Cost of Prescription Drugs
The impact of Big Pharma’s influence on American healthcare is evident in the rising cost of prescription drugs. In 2018, Americans spent a staggering $535 billion on prescription drugs, marking a 50% increase since 2010. This surge in prices has led to dire consequences for many patients, including dangerous practices like insulin rationing among diabetics.
“Since the 1930s, the National Institutes of Health has invested close to $900 billion in the basic and applied research that formed both the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.” https://www.americanprogress.org/article/big-pharma-reaps-profits-hurting-everyday-americans/
Despite significant public investment in pharmaceutical research, drug prices continue to soar. Some medications have seen price hikes of 40% to 71% from 2011 to 2015, while insulin costs increased by 197% between 2002 and 2013. These price increases have forced many Americans to make difficult choices between their health and financial stability.
The Lobbying Machine Behind Big Pharma
The pharmaceutical industry’s influence in Washington is backed by enormous financial resources. From 1999 to 2018, the industry spent a whopping $4.7 billion on lobbying the US federal government, averaging $233 million per year. This makes it the highest-spending industry in terms of lobbying efforts.
“LOBBYING EXPENDITURES AND CAMPAIGN CONTRIBUTIONS BY THE PHARMACEUTICAL AND HEALTH PRODUCT INDUSTRY IN THE UNITED STATES, 1999-2018 Olivier J. Wouters, PhD Department of Health Policy, London School of Economics and Political Science, London, United Kingdom This observational study uses publicly available data to analyze how much the pharmaceutical and health product industry spent on campaign contributions and lobbying in the US from 1999 to 2018. KEY POINTS QUESTION How much money did the pharmaceutical and health product industry spend on lobbying and campaign contributions in the US from 1999 to 2018? FINDINGS This observational study found that the pharmaceutical and health product industry spent $4.7 billion, an average of $233 million per year, on lobbying the US federal government; $414 million on contributions to presidential and congressional electoral candidates, national party committees, and outside spending groups; and $877 million on contributions to state candidates and committees. Contributions were targeted at senior legislators in Congress involved in drafting health care laws and state committees that opposed or supported key referenda on drug pricing and regulation. MEANING An understanding of the large sums of money the pharmaceutical and health product industry spends on lobbying and campaign contributions can inform discussions about how to temper the influence of industry on US health policy.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7054854/
In addition to lobbying, the industry has also invested heavily in political contributions. From 1999 to 2018, $414 million was spent on contributions to presidential and congressional candidates, national party committees, and outside spending groups. This financial influence has arguably contributed to Congress’s inaction on addressing high drug prices.
The Revolving Door and Trump’s Contradictions
While Trump’s proposal for a lifetime lobbying ban seems to address the issue of the revolving door between government and industry, it’s important to note the contradictions within his own administration. Despite his campaign promise to “drain the swamp,” the Trump administration employed a staggering 281 lobbyists, equating to one lobbyist for every 14 political appointees.
“Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump proposed a lifetime ban on lobbying by former federal employees in an interview this week, in a gesture toward limiting the oft-criticized revolving door between agencies like FDA and the industries they regulate that goes further than his running mate’s proposed eight-year ban–although Trump’s own administration employed many former lobbyists.” https://insidehealthpolicy.com/daily-news/trump-floats-lifetime-ban-lobbying-fda-other-agency-workers
This number is four times higher than those appointed by Obama six years into his presidency, highlighting the complexity of implementing such reforms. The proposal, while potentially beneficial, would require significant bipartisan support and systemic changes to be effective.
Sources:
1. How Big Pharma Reaps Profits While Hurting Everyday Americans
2. Trump Floats Lifetime Ban On Lobbying For FDA, Other Agency Workers
