So, just a handful of companies hold the formulas for the Covid-19 vaccines, which severely restricts how quickly the vaccines can be distributed across the world, particularly in poor countries. The pharma industry had been intensively lobbying the U.S. government to reject a special intellectual property waiver that would allow other companies to pump out low-cost, generic coronavirus vaccines. Biden, to the surprise of some, is going along with the waiver anyway.
The waiver to the World Trade Organization would allow access to the intellectual property and formulas necessary to retool factories to pump out the vaccines.
To see just what the vaccine-makers are up to, you can check out the quarterly lobbying disclosures companies need to release by going to the U.S. Senate website's Lobbying Disclosure Act reports.
Pfizer hired the Altrius Group for $10,000. They gave the BGR Government Affairs $50,000 to "Provide guidance and strategic counsel with regard to regulations and legislation that could impact the pharmaceutical industry generally and/or Pfizer specifically." They hired Cornerstone Government Affairs, Inc.'s Mark Mioduski and Amy Souders to "Support increased funding for the CDC National Immunization Program (Sec 317 program)"
Empire Consulting Group was drafted for $50,000 to have Mike McKay and LaVita Strickland LeGrys lobby over "Operation, performance, investment, and COVID-19 vaccine; and Average Manufacturer Price (AMP) cap in budget resolution."
Pfizer paid the Lincoln Policy Group $60,000 to lobby. In total, Pfizer reports shelling out a little over $3 million in the first quarter of 2021 on lobbying, much of it about the vaccine waiver.
Moderna, for its part, paid the Stanton Park Group $30,000, to lobby on issues relating to COVID 19 vaccines, mRNA drug discovery, drug development, and related issues. They reported meeting with Chief of Staff, House Commerce Committee; Legislative Advisor to Rep. Tom Bliley, Appropriations Associate, Rep. Cunningham; Staff Assistant, Exec. Asst, Legislative Assistant, Legislative Director, Rep. Curt Weldon, Legislative Director, Rep. Greg Walden; Legislative Assistant to Sen. John Warner and Sen. Mike Crapo, and Policy Advisor, Senator Pat Roberts.
Avenue Solutions was paid $50,000 to lobby on Issues related to COVID-19 vaccines and distribution, and W Strategies was paid $30,000. BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK, LLP was paid $50,000.
Johnson & Johnson spent $2.4 million lobbying in the first quarter. They paid BROWNSTEIN HYATT FARBER SCHRECK, LLP $80,000, which included lobbying on "issues related to patient access, Issues related to patents, and Issues related to COVID-19."