Big Pharma’s Billions Buy Influence, Not Prevention

Find out how Big Pharma’s billions in donations to patient advocacy groups compromise healthcare and sideline natural, preventive health solutions.

Listen to the audio version of this article:

THE TOPLINE

• Big Pharma contributes billions to patient advocacy groups, often lacking full transparency.
• Patient advocacy groups are meant to champion your health. But they’re often secretly funded by Big Pharma. These ‘donations’ influence healthcare policy, treatment guidelines, and drug approvals, and end up making sometimes questionable drug treatments the standard of care over natural or preventive health solutions.
• Patient advocacy groups that receive funding from drug companies are compromised, as seen with the approval of controversial drugs like the Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, where financial influence appeared to override scientific scrutiny.

The growing influence of the pharmaceutical industry on healthcare policy, treatment guidelines, and even the very agencies meant to regulate them, has always been a massive concern. While Big Pharma’s financial sway over elected officials and its cozy relationship with the FDA are well-documented, there’s another troubling development many may not be aware of: pharmaceutical companies are pouring billions of dollars into patient advocacy groups—organizations that should be independent voices for patient welfare.

According to a recent analysis, at least 83 percent of the largest patient advocacy groups in the United States receive contributions from drug companies, often without full transparency. From 2010 to 2022, the pharmaceutical industry’s main trade group and its member companies contributed over $6 billion in grants to more than 20,000 organizations.

The implications are clear: these “donations” are more about influence than charity.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the blockbuster drugs and the patient groups supporting them. AbbVie, the maker of Humira (an immunosuppressive for rheumatoid arthritis), gave as much as $1 million to the Arthritis Foundation in 2023. Merck, the manufacturer of Keytruda, a cancer drug, contributed over $1 million to the American Cancer Society in 2023, alongside AstraZeneca, Pfizer, and Regeneron. Novo Nordisk, the company behind the popular weight-loss drug Ozempic, funneled at least $1 million to the American Diabetes Association in 2023, alongside Eli Lilly and Xeris Pharmaceuticals. Biogen, the maker of the controversial Alzheimer’s drug Aduhelm, gifted between $250,000 and $500,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association in 2023.

The case of Novo Nordisk and Ozempic is particularly disturbing. This drugmaker spent at least $25.8 million over the past decade promoting its weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic, through payments to U.S. medical professionals. These payments were targeted at a select group of obesity specialists who have advocated for the use of these drugs for millions of Americans. This kind of financial relationship creates a clear conflict of interest, where medical recommendations may be driven more by profit than by what’s truly best for patients.

Big Pharma spends far more on contributing to patient advocacy groups than lobbying. A 2018 analysis by Kaiser Health News found that drug companies made 12,000 donations to patient advocacy groups in a single year, totaling $116 million—nearly double the amount spent on lobbying in that same year.

Why does this matter? These patient groups wield significant influence. They help guide treatment recommendations, lobby for drug approvals, and even shape public perception of health issues. When their funding comes from the very companies that stand to profit from the treatments for which they advocate, their independence is compromised.

Take the case of Aduhelm, the Alzheimer’s drug that was controversially approved by the FDA despite evidence that it was not effective. Several FDA advisory committees recommended against its approval, but patient advocacy groups, many of which receive significant funding from pharmaceutical companies, supported the drug. Unsurprisingly, it was approved, underscoring how financial influence can override scientific scrutiny and patient well-being.

This all points to a deeper problem: our healthcare system is designed to treat illnesses, not prevent them or build health and resilience. Big Pharma’s financial tentacles reach deep into every corner of our health system, including patient advocacy groups, promoting a drug-based treatment model while ignoring the importance of prevention and natural health solutions.

At ANH USA, we believe that many chronic conditions—like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, arthritis, some cancers, certain degenerative neurological diseases, including Alzheimer’s—can be prevented, or managed, with dietary or lifestyle interventions, natural medicines, and other non-drug approaches. But these options are often sidelined in favor of pharmaceutical treatments that make billions for drug companies but often come with dangerous side effects and questionable efficacy.

We must remain vigilant and push back against Big Pharma’s pervasive influence, which is not only eroding the integrity of patient advocacy but also restricting access to natural and integrative health options. It’s time to advocate for a healthcare system that prioritizes wellness, prevention, and patient empowerment over profits.

Can you help us?

If you liked this article, please support our work by making a tax-free donation to our educational arm now. Thank you.