Campaign aims to derail Oregon drug-pricing bill

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) – A social welfare group supported by pharmaceutical companies is a funding a campaign asking Oregonians to speak out against a bill that would require companies to explain big drug price increases.

The Register-Guard reports internal documents the paper reviewed shows that the pharmaceutical industry’s involvement in the citizen letter-writing campaign by Next Wave Advocacy was supposed to be kept hidden from participants and the 13 lawmakers who the letters will be sent to.

The documents were given to Rep. Rob Nosse in an email by a former Next Wave Advocacy employee.

The group was enlisted by Caregiver Voices United whose parent organization receives money from Pharmaceutical Research, Manufacturers of America and Abbott Laboratories.

Caregiver Voices United did not return a request for comment on Thursday.

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Information from: The Register-Guard, http://www.registerguard.com