DRUGMAKERS SPEND BIG ACROSS THE WORLD

Our colleagues report that industry's main U.S. lobbying arm PhRMA spent $4.8 million in the most recent quarter, over $500,000 more than this time last year — and for good reason. It's been in the middle of a slew of issues in Congress, pushing the 21st Century Cures legislation, negotiations for favorable trade policies and fighting off changes to the patent system. Biotech trade group BIO showed a similar spike in spending, as did individual companies: Merck, Glaxosmithkline, Eli Lilly, Genentech and quite a few others all spent more in the most recent quarter than they did in the same quarter the year prior.http://politico.pro/1DqUs34