“What the hell? This wasn't part of our deal,” reads a Jan. 15, 2010 e-mail message from then-White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina to Bryant Hall, who then served as PhRMA's chief lobbyist, suggesting an arrangement had been made and the White House was displeased with it.
Meanwhile, the findings highlight a statement from President Barack Obama on June 20, 2009, that announced an agreement between the pharmaceutical companies and the U.S. Senate. “The investigation has determined that the White House, primarily through the Office of Health Reform Director Nancy Ann DeParle and Messina, with involvement from Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, was actively engaged in these negotiations while the role of Congress was limited,” the memo noted. “For example, three days before the June 20 statement, the head of PhRMA promised Messina, ‘… we will deliver a final yes to you by morning.' ”
For its part, PhRMA released a statement Wednesday that said the organization has had a history of advocating for policies that ensure patient access to medicines and advance medical progress.
“Before, during and since the healthcare reform debate, PhRMA engaged with Congress and the Administration to advance these priorities,” the statement said (PDF). “The biopharmaceutical sector collaborates with a wide variety of stakeholders, including physician organizations, provider groups, and consumer and patient advocates, to pursue the shared, bipartisan goal of improving patient access to high-quality healthcare coverage, services and treatments.”
At deadline, representatives for the White House and the Senate Finance Committee had not responded to requests for comment.
