A former top policy adviser to Ontario Premier Doug Ford has registered as a lobbyist for a pharmaceutical company that is trying to persuade the provincial government to keep funding the country’s most lucrative drug.
“It turns public policy-making, which is supposed to be a public-interest, merit-based process, into a best-government-money-can-buy process where influence can be bought,” he said. Michelle Renaud, a spokeswoman for the Integrity Commissioner, said the office does not comment on individual situations. But she said the Commissioner has provided direction to former Premier’s Office staffers who became lobbyists on how to comply with post-employment rules, which include not seeking preferential treatment.
Janssen is not the only drugmaker that has turned to outside lobbyists on the biosimilar file. Pfizer, whose biosimilar Inflectra is an alternative to Remicade, hired Loyalist Public Affairs between April and November. The firm is headed by Chris Froggatt, who was vice-chair of the PC election campaign and a close adviser to Mr. Ford.
Ontario’s Ministry of Health began consulting on a new biosimilar policy in November, and officials have so far met with more than 60 stakeholders, a spokesman said.
In other news.... Pharmaceutical company flummoxed after all of the labels fall off of their bottles.