[Ip-health] Democrats' Victory Is Felt On K Street

[Ira Glazer]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/11/22/AR2006112201940_pf.html

Drug companies are particularly hungry for Democratic help, including
the industry's trade association. "We woke up the day after the election
to a new world," said Ken Johnson, spokesman for the Pharmaceutical
Research and Manufacturers of America. "We're going to have tough days
ahead of us."

A post-election e-mail to executives at the drug company GlaxoSmithKline
details just how tough. "We now have fewer allies in the Senate," says
the internal memo, obtained by The Washington Post. "Thus, there is
greater risk over the next two years that bad amendments will be offered
to pending legislation." The company's primary concerns are bills that
would allow more imported drugs and would force price competition for
drugs bought under Medicare.

The defeat of Sen. Rick Santorum
<http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/s000059/> (R-Pa.)
"creates a big hole we will need to fill," the e-mail says. Sen.-elect
Jon Tester (D-Mont.) "is expected to be a problem," it says, and the
elevation to the Senate of Rep. Sherrod Brown
<http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/b000944/> (D-Ohio)
"will strengthen his ability to challenge us."

The e-mail also mentions that Sen. Robert Menendez
<http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/m000639/> (D-N.J.)
"has worked closely" with the company and that the firm's PAC had
supported six Democratic senators who faced reelection. "These
relationships should help us moderate proposals offered by Senate
Democrats," the e-mail says.

Explaining the memo, GlaxoSmithKline spokeswoman Patricia Seif said:
"It's important that we're knowledgeable about the positions of the
members of the next Congress."