Morning-After Pill Maker Donated Big Bucks to Candidates

By Melissa Daniels | PA Independent

HARRISBURG — One of the world’s largest generic drug manufacturers, known for its morning-after pill, has given hundreds of thousands in campaign funds to Pennsylvania politicians.

Teva Pharmaceuticals captured headlines this fall, when its Plan B One-Step was offered for free to high school students along with contraception and health-care services through a New York City program.

Teva Pharmaceuticals USA, the company’s political action committee, spent more on campaign dollars this year than in the past. Donations totaled more than $275,000, compared with around $138,000 in 2010 and $47,000 in 2008, according to election money trackerOpenSecrets.org.

In 2012, the PAC gave:

• $10,000 to U.S. Reps. Allyson Schwartz, D-District 13, and Jim Gerlach, R-District 6;
• $5,000 to U.S. Rep. Joe Pitts, R-District 16;
• $4,000 to U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-District 7;
• $2,500 to U.S. Rep. Tim Murphy, R-District 18;
• $2,000 to U.S. Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick, R-District 8.

In the U.S. Senate, incumbent Democrat Bob Casey, who is seeking re-election, and Republican Pat Toomey, who is not, both received $10,000 in 2012.

Casey also sits on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee and has received a total of $23,500 from Teva’s PAC since 2011, compared with $11,000 for Toomey.

Teva, which has its American headquarters in Philadelphia, has spent more than $2.2 million on lobbying for 20 bills in 2012. Among those were bills related to patent reform and generic drug access.

One proposal, the Preserving Access to Life-Saving Medications Act, listed Casey as one of its 30 sponsors. The legislation would change federal law to provide the Food and Drug Administration with the ability to prevent drug shortages.

Teva’s media contacts did not respond to questions for comment.