<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class=""><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/17/covid-sen-warren-presses-phrma-lobbying-group-on-efforts-to-block-vaccine-patent-waivers.html" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class="">https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/17/covid-sen-warren-presses-phrma-lobbying-group-on-efforts-to-block-vaccine-patent-waivers.html</a><o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 7.5pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; background-color: white;"><b class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Sen. Warren presses major pharma trade group on efforts to block Covid vaccine patent waivers<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">By Berkeley Lovelace Jr.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt;" class="">6/17/21</span></div><p class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Democratic Sen. <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/elizabeth-warren/" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">Elizabeth Warren</span></a> is pressing the CEO of a major pharmaceutical trade group on its lobbying efforts against a proposal to waive intellectual property rights for Covid-19 vaccines that would help boost production of the shots for poorer nations.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Warren and other lawmakers asked how much money the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, or PhRMA, and its member companies spent this year lobbying Congress and White House officials in opposition to the waiver, in a letter sent Wednesday to PhRMA CEO Stephen Ubl<em class=""> </em>that was obtained by CNBC.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The Biden administration <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/05/us-backs-covid-vaccine-intellectual-property-waivers-to-expand-access-to-shots-worldwide.html" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">said in early May it would support</span></a> waiving the World Trade Organization’s Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights, or TRIPs, agreement. PhRMA, whose members include Covid vaccine makers <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/AZN-GB" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">AstraZeneca</span></a>, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/PFE" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">Pfizer</span></a> and <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/JNJ" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">Johnson & Johnson</span></a>, is trying to block the waiver.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Removing patent protections on Covid vaccines would allow other drug companies to manufacture the lifesaving shots. Drugmakers worry that could set a precedent for future products and end their lucrative monopolies over sales of their new medicines.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Warren also asked the trade group about its attempts to block a bill from House Democrats that would allow Medicare to negotiate directly with manufacturers for lower drug prices.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; color: rgb(23, 23, 23);" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">“PhRMA and other pharmaceutical companies have pushed the Biden Administration to oppose the TRIPS waiver, arguing that it would “undermine the global response to the pandemic,”′ Warren and other lawmakers wrote. The industry also said drug pricing provisions of the American Rescue Plan would “lead to fewer new cures and treatments,” and it opposed Medicare Part D price negotiation, the letter reads.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">“While taking credit for the development of new COVID vaccines — which were developed with massive infusions of federal funds — the pharmaceutical industry has not backed off of its efforts to block drug pricing proposals and maintain the status quo,” the lawmakers added.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The lawmakers gave the trade group until June 30 to respond.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">In a statement to CNBC, PhRMA spokesman Brian Newell said the trade group was reviewing the letter.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">“We will continue our efforts to work with policymakers on solutions to lower what patients pay out of pocket for prescription medicines and ensure equitable global access to COVID-19 vaccines,” he said.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Warren’s letter comes as global groups, including the World Health Organization, are urging wealthy countries and drugmakers to get Covid shots to low-income and lower-middle-income countries, some of which are <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2021/06/16/africa-sees-44percent-spike-in-new-covid-infections-20percent-increase-in-deaths-.html" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">witnessing an increasingly worrying rise in new infections</span></a>.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">Many countries and drugmakers have made pledges to share millions of doses around the world. President <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/joe-biden/" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">Joe Biden</span></a> announced last week that his administration would donate 500 million vaccine doses produced by Pfizer to other nations.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">The pharmaceutical industry has previously said the TRIPS waiver would compromise safety, weaken supply chains and sow confusion between public and private partners.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p style="box-sizing: border-box;" class=""><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;" class="">In the first three months of this year, pharma companies have spent a record $92 million on lobbying, <a href="https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2020&id=D000000504" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193);" class=""><span style="color: rgb(32, 119, 182);" class="">according to data compiled by the Center for Responsive Politics</span></a>, a nonpartisan campaign finance research group in Washington. PhRMA spent $8.6 million this year on lobbying after spending $25.9 million in 2020, according to its data.</span></p><div class="">
Arthur Stamoulis<br class="">Citizens Trade Campaign<br class="">(202) 494-8826<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">
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