Prognosis

Pharma’s Secret to Lobbying for Higher Drug Prices?

Nonprofits created by marketing firms push controversial messages in the name of helping patients.

Photographer: Mint Images via Getty Images
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The U.S. Rural Health Network has a slogan on its website that seems obvious: “We’re fighting for rural health.” But it’s not that simple.

The two-year-old nonprofit hasn’t had much impact in rural health circles, where experts say they’ve never heard of it. It’s also active in a different area: fighting proposals that would cut the cost of prescription drugs. This year, it joined scores of other groups to oppose letting Medicare negotiate prices with drugmakers.