N.J. DRUG EXECS PITCH VOLUNTARY PRICE CONTROLS TO COMMERCE SECTY.

Executive Summary

N.J. DRUG EXECS PITCH VOLUNTARY PRICE CONTROLS TO COMMERCE SECTY. Ron Brown at a private March 24 meeting arranged by New Jersey Democratic Governor James Florio. Reinforcing the plan announced by the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association in mid- March to hold price increases to the CPI, the heads of 13 major pharmaceutical companies with headquarters in New Jersey met with Brown to deliver their message of voluntary price controls. Brown is said to have demonstrated a "willingness" to convey the pharmaceutical industry's concerns about price controls to President Clinton. Pharmaceutical execs at the Commerce lobbying meeting included: Hoffmann-La Roche Chairman Irwin Lerner; American Home Products Chairman John Stafford; Bristol-Myers Squibb Exec VP Kenneth Weg; Johnson & Johnson CEO Ralph Larsen; Lederle Group VP David Bethune; Merck Exec VP John Zabriskie; Pfizer CEO William Steere; Reed & Carnrick President John Spitznagel; Sandoz CEO Tim Rothwell; Sandoz VP Denis Grady; Schering-Plough Exec-VP Hugh D'Andrade; Parke-Davis President Harold Oberkfell; and Hoechst-Celanese Exec-VP Joseph Patterson. Although mostly focused on price controls, the meeting with Brown also touched on health care reform and other issues relevant to the pharmaceutical industry. Several of the pharmaceutical company execs also met in a same-day closed session with 16 members of New Jersey's congressional delegation on Capitol Hill. The New Jersey delegation meetings continue the effort by drug industry execs to find a receptive audience in the new administration for their message about pharmaceuticals.