LOBBYING IN THE MIRROR

OF INTERNATIONAL POWER
POLITICS – WHO´S GAME?
 at a Glance
The company was founded in 1876 in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA by Colonel Eli Lilly with the
conviction that he could supply people with the most advanced medicines that would result in real
healing.

• The drugs provide an effective solution for the treatment of diseases of the central nervous
system, diabetes, osteoporosis, cancer, autoimmune, cardiovascular diseases and other diseases.

Lilly Hungária Kft. In Hungary has been the exclusive property of Eli Lilly and Company since
its foundation in 1990.

• The company's main area of ​activity is the pharmaceutical trade and the coordination of clinical
research.

• Lilly Hungária Kft. won the title of BEST WORKPLACE a few years ago, and their medicines
received the MEDICINE OF THE YEAR award twice.
THE CORPORATE TAKEOVER OF MODERN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATIONS BY PHARMACEUTICAL LOBBYISTS.

• The origin of Consumer Reports can be found in the Consumer Advocacy Movement.
Both the FOOD and DRUG industries were getting a free pass to experiment on citizens
with few repercussions.

• Consumer Advocacy groups were women-founded and led programs in the 1900´s with
the best of intentions, but Now 2/3 of American consumer advocacy groups are funded by
pharmaceutical companies.

• Pharma companies gave at least $116 million to such groups in 2015 alone.

• These groups were funded largely by individual donations with some foundation support,
but in the late 1980s, newer women's health groups moved to professionalize, effectively
• The National Women's Heath Network and Breast Cancer Action resist corporate ties to
this day. Too often, however, groups argue that their existence depends on corporate
funding.

• Groups like the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), act more like lobbyists
than patient advocates.

• Over a 3-year period, the NAMI, received nearly $12 million from 18 pharmaceutical
companies. The largest donor was Prozac manufacturer, Eli Lilly.

• This Influences advocates to overlook real problems caused by pharmaceutical

interventions, especially when it comes to mental health.

• By 2008, 3/4 of NAMI's budget was funded by the pharmaceutical industry: An Eli Lilly
executive was even 'on loan' to NAMI, paid by Eli Lilly, while he worked out of the
 BIG PHARMA CONTINUES TO TOP
LOBBYING SPENDING
• The pharmaceutical industry is holding on to its title as the top lobbying force in
Washington amid pressure from lawmakers at all ends of the ideological spectrum.

• That spending comes on top of the industry’s many ad campaigns designed to influence
lawmakers and the general public.

• The industry fights threatening legislation in creative ways, including funding prominent
but unrelated associations to push pro-industry messages on the airwaves.

• A special interest's lobbying activity may go up or down over time, depending on how
much attention the federal government is giving their issues. Particularly active clients
often retain multiple lobbying firms, each with a team of lobbyists, to press their case for
Source: www.opensecrets.org
 HIRED FIRMS BY ELI LILLY & CO - 2020

NOTE: Figures on these pages are calculations by the Center for Responsive Politics based on data from
the Senate Office of Public Records. Data for the most recent year was downloaded on July 23, 2020 and
includes spending from January 1 - June 30. Prior years include spending from January through December.
ISSUES LOBBIED BY ELI LILLY & CO
AGENCIES LOBBIED BY ELI LILLY & CO
POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT
In the United States, ELI LILLY is committed to backing
candidates of any party who support Public Policies that
contribute to pharmaceutical innovation and the health needs
of patients. When reviewing U.S. candidates for support, they
consider a number of factors, including these examples:
• Has the candidate historically voted or announced positions on
issues of importance to Lilly, such as pharmaceutical innovation
and health care?
• Has the candidate demonstrated leadership on key committees of
importance to our business?
• Does the candidate demonstrate potential for legislative
leadership?
• Is the candidate dedicated to improving the relationship between
BILLS LOBBIED BY ELI LILLY & CO – 2019
BILLS LOBBIED BY ELI LILLY & CO – 2020
CURIOUS FACT IN USA

• Ex-Former chief lobbyist (1) from Eli Lilly

and Gilead Science are now working on the
White House Coronavirus Task Force.

• The United States Secretary of Health and

Human Services Alex Azar worked for 10
years in Eli Lilly, hired to be the company's
top lobbyist and spokesman as its Senior Vice
President of Corporate Affairs and
Communications, also he became the
President of Lilly USA.
(1) A lobbyist is someone hired by a
business or a cause to persuade legislators
to support that business or cause.
Lobbyists get paid to win favor from
politicians. For example, oil companies
send lobbyists to Washington to try to
make life easier for oil companies.
• While, Joe Grogan, who is now the Director of the
National Policy Council and assistant to President Donald
Trump, was the chief lobbyist for Gilead Sciences.
CURIOUS FACT IN HUNGARY
• Dr. László Szabó was appointed Ambassador of
Hungary to the United States in July 2017.
• Prior to his arrival in the United States, he served
as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
in Hungary from 2014 to 2017.

• His work at the Foreign Ministry followed a long

and distinguished career in the pharmaceutical
industry, namely as Vice President of Eli Lilly,
and also served as CEO of TEVA Hungary from
As the coronavirus crisis was ramping up, Big Pharma
was doubling down on their attempts to influence
policymakers and protect their profits,” said Eli
Zupnick, spokesman for Patients Over
Pharma. “Patients are demanding that Congress and
the Trump Administration take strong action to reduce
the costs of prescription drugs and make sure that
coronavirus vaccines and treatments are affordable for
every American, and these new disclosures make it clear
that Big Pharma is doing everything they can to rig the
system and prevent that from happening.”
THANK YOU !

SOURCES:
https://www.lilly.hu/hu/index.aspx
https://bigthink.com/politics-current-affairs/pharma-lobbying?rebelltitem=3#rebell
titem3

https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2019/10/big-pharma-continues-to-top-lobbying
-spending/

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/clients/summary?cycle=2019&id=D
000000166

https://washington.mfa.gov.hu/eng/page/dr-laszlo-szabo