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Writer's pictureAlex Kawa

Ad Attacks Alaska Senator For Taking Money From Big Pharma


Last week, the 314 Action Fund, an organization "on a mission to elect more scientists to Congress, state legislatures, and local offices," released a new attack ad against Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK). In the ad, they highlight the rising prescription drug costs amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and how Sullivan voted in 2017 against an amendment to lower costs by reimporting drugs from Canada:

"In Washington, Dan Sullivan voted against letting us have access to cheaper prescription drugs from Canada. The same Dan Sullivan who's taken tens of thousands from the pharmaceutical industry."

In the election for Sullivan's Senate seat, 314 Action has endorsed independent Dr. Al Gross, who is the de facto Democratic nominee in the race, stating that he "has seen firsthand how broken our country’s health care system is and will fight in Congress to expand access to quality, affordable care. Al’s Republican opponent was elected in 2014 by just 2.2 points — and now, Dr. Gross is putting Alaska’s Senate seat on the map again in 2020. Republican Senator Dan Sullivan, who has spent his first term in Washington voting with Mitch McConnell 97 percent of the time."


While it is true that Sullivan has taken $47,855 from the pharmaceutical industry this election cycle (including $20,800 in PAC money), 314 Action has seen financial help from at least one organization that has taken even more. In June, 314 Action accepted $75,000 from the Congressional Black Caucus PAC; throughout this election cycle, the PAC itself has raked in $57,500 from nearly half of the twenty highest-contributing pharmaceutical companies -- namely Amgen, Boston Scientific, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer ($10,000 each), Eli Lilly, Merck & Co. ($5,000 each), Abbott Laboratories, GlaxoSmithKline, and Medtronic ($2,500 each).


On his campaign website, Gross says he is committed to "tak[ing] on big pharma to decrease drug prices and hold them accountable for the opioid epidemic. We must allow Medicare to negotiate directly with the pharmaceutical industry for competitive savings. I will also work to [...] allow Americans to safely import medication from Canada."

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