Pharmaceutical sales representatives should register with the state Ethics Commission, publicly reporting how much money they spend lobbying doctors in Oklahoma, a state lawmaker said Tuesday.
Prescription drug companies spend about $19 billion a year on lobbying efforts across the country, Rep. Ryan McMullen said. He said this is driving up the cost of medicine.
Political lobbyists must disclose to the Ethics Commission money or gifts given to lawmakers, and McMullen said pharmaceutical representatives should be held to the same standard.
A bill making this change did not get heard last legislative session, but McMullen said he plans to push for the disclosure next year. McMullen said his bill was likely not heard because of strong opposition from pharmaceutical interests.
"The pharmaceutical industry should have nothing to fear in allowing the public to shine a light on their lobbying efforts,” said McMullen, D-Burns Flat.
The U.S. Senate has considered similar reforms.
Marilyn Hughes, executive director of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, said it is not within the commission's constitutional authority to require reports from pharmaceutical representatives. But she said the Legislature has previously extended the commission's reports to county and municipal officeholders, which also don't fall under the commission's constitutional authority.
"It's not that it can't be done,” Hughes said. More money would be needed to handle the extra work, she said.
McMullen agreed costs to the Ethics Commission are a legitimate concern, but added his bill assesses a $100 registration fee on each drug representative to help defray the costs.
