The drug industry’s powerful Washington lobby is expected to pick a medical device executive as its next CEO.
Steve Ubl, currently the head of the medical device manufacturer trade group AdvaMed, will likely replace John Castellani as top executive of Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America, Politico reported Wednesday.
A PhRMA spokesman told Politico that a decision hasn’t yet been made, but the group is expected to announce the decision as soon as next week, according to the publication.
The switch would come amid increased scrutiny on the drug industry, as Democrats have decried the skyrocketing prices of some medications and presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have proposed new regulations on pharmaceutical companies intended to drive prices down.
As one of the best-funded and influential trade associations inside the Beltway, PhRMA spent nearly $10.3 million on lobbying during the first six months of this year. Castellani earned $3.6 million in total compensation in 2013, according to tax documents.
