McCain Not So Pharma-Friendly

Today, the WSJ Health Blog raises the argument that current GOP frontrunner, John McCain, may not offer the big bear hug to pharma that is otherwise expected of a Republican President. Specifically, McCain currently supports the importation of prescription drugs from countries that negotiate cheaper prices and the removal of the 2003 ban on Medicare to negotiate prescription drug costs (just like Obama). In fact, it is reported that McCain voted against the drug-benefit expansion of Medicare because of the negotiation ban.

The WSJ blog post also points to the site of the Center for Responsive Politics, which keep tabs on who receives how much money from where. Below is a graphic display of the pharma contributions to the current Presidential candidates on the basis of the Center's data, showing Clinton and Obama inexplicably out in front and Huckabee with why-bother chump change.