special interests quietly financing private groups that may take their side as respected, seemingly independent allies without obvious financial inter

LobbyBlog

HOW THE BIOTECH WAR WAS WON If you're like me, you enjoy the opportunity to purchase inexpensive generic drugs instead of the pricey brand names that show up on most formularies. Naturally, the pharmaceutical industry does not like this, and they'll go to great lengths to limit those cost-saving opportunities:

With the nation's $46 billion biological drug market at stake, the war between makers of the pricey biotech medicines and their would-be generic competitors has involved millions of dollars in lobbying, thousands in campaign contributions and uncounted visits to members of Congress. And one noteworthy letter.

The note from the private National Health Council, sent to House leaders drafting health overhaul legislation, said the plea was on behalf of "the more than 133 million Americans living with chronic diseases and disabilities and their family caregivers." It urged lawmakers to protect the makers of high-technology biological medicines against early competition from lower-cost generic copycats.

The letter did not mention that nearly $1.2 million of the council's $2.3 million budget in 2007 came from the pharmaceutical industry's chief trade group and 16 companies that sell or are developing the brand-name biotech drugs.

The July 20 letter is an example of a favored lobbying tactic -- special interests quietly financing private groups that may take their side as respected, seemingly independent allies without obvious financial interests in the outcome. ,,,