Sen. David Vitter blasts drug industry's White House negotiations
Times-Picayune (excerpt)

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., took to the Senate floor last week to denounce what he described as a "backroom deal" in which the White House opposed reimportation of less expensive prescription drugs from abroad in exchange for drug industry support of President Barack Obama's 2010 health overhaul. Emails highlighting discussions between the White House and leaders of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association, then headed by former Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-Chackbay, were recently released by the House Energy and Commerce Committee. "American people fully realize what went on," Vitter said. "The corrupt, I would say backroom deal, was cut between the White House and big PhRMA, and now seniors and other Americans are paying the price. Obamacare passed and prescription drug prices continue to be sky high." More than 100 pages of emails and memos, many from officials at PhRMA, show the drug lobbying association provided money to run ads, including $70 million for two nonprofit third parties, Americans for Stable Quality Care and Healthy Economic Now. As part of the deal, PhRMA agreed to cut drug costs by $80 billion, but insisted the administration fight proposals to allow less expensive drugs to be imported from abroad.