That is decidedly good news (for Lilly shareholders) — it is making an investment, in lobbying, to protect both its patent positions on the drugs — and keep them listed as covered — through Medicare / Medicaid — and private insurance plans, where medical necessity is demonstrated. [We remain unsure as to what the long term side effects might be, from being on the jabs for years and years. Time will tell.]

In any event, next up — and the final installment — will be Amgen. Also a company that is bumping up its spending. But here is the Lilly rundown:

…Issues related to intellectual property protection and market access within current trade negotiations. Canada IP; USMCA implementation; Mexico patent linkage; Special 301; Trade talks: US-Japan, US-China, US-EU, US-UK, US-India, and US-Brazil; US Tariffs….

Patient protection; Pharmaceutical supply chain issues and shortages; Drug pricing, coverage, value, access and quality; Transparency; Intellectual property; Health insurance accessibility; Implementation of the “Inflation Reduction Act” (HR.5376); Prescription drug approval; Policy matters related to Artificial Intelligence in health care….

Intellectual property; 340B Program; Medicare & Medicaid prescription drug reimbursement, coverage and value; Implementation of the “Inflation Reduction Act” (HR.5376); CMS National Coverage Determination on Alzheimer’s disease….

Multi-lateral threats to IP and the biopharmaceutical industry; Drug importation; Prescription drug value, access and quality….

Pharmaceutical intellectual property issues….

Implementation and extension of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act; Domestic manufacturing tax incentives; Expensing of research and development costs; Global minimum tax; Pension and retirement benefit issues; round-tripping….

Hospital discounts; 340B program; Prescription drug value, access, quality and compliance with Drug Quality and Safety Act….

That last bolded bit is the Lilly litigation / legislation / lobbying campaign… to keep various compounders (some of which are perfectly reputable) from undercutting the weight loss franchise drug’s premium pricing, in the US — via supposed supply shortages. Now you know.

Onward now, into a Middle East driven primarily by corruption and commerce, it seems. [This present “Tangerine World” (normalizing brutal Syria) bears scant resemblance to the the not so long ago time, when Cy Vance had medical device companies pleading guilty to felonies — simply for providing life-saving IV solutions bags — to hospitals, for sick children, inside Syria.] Wow.

नमस्ते