White House-PhRMA Deal: Show Me The Money

A month ago, the New York Times reported that the pharmaceutical trade group PhRMA would spend $150 million in support of Obama's health reforms. Now, the group founded by PhRMA to fund the campaign appears to be defunct. Did a deal ever exist between PhRMA and the White House?

A month ago, the New York Times reported a deal between the pharmaceutical trade group PhRMA and the Obama White House. The White House would go easy on price concessions, in return the trade group would spend $150 million on a pro health reform advertising blitz.

The Associated Press, even more excitedly, reported a PhRMA commitment of $200 million.

So where’s the money?

Healthy Economy Now, a group that PhRMA is supposed to have funded in order to run ads in favor of the Baucus health plan, now appears to be defunct (see their blank website here).

The Times reported that another PhRMA group, Americans for Stable Quality Care (ASQC), has dedicated $12 million to advertising. Unlike Healthy Economy Now, the ASQC group does appear to exist and has produced some YouTube ads. But a call to their press number goes straight to voicemail, and their ad featuring President Obama speaking to the camera for an entire minute, has only 228 views. Surely $12 million would have bought a more robust campaign?

Both the White House and PhRMA denied any deal at the time. Those denials are looking more credible. Alternatively, it’s possible that a deal once existed, but that one side or the other has reneged.

But if so – who?