WASHINGTON, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Former U.S. Rep. Billy Tauzin, R-La., has announced his resignation as the pharmaceutical industry's top lobbyist.
Tauzin will remain as president of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America until June, The New York Times reported Thursday. Tauzin represented Louisiana in the House for 13 terms, switching from the Democratic to Republican Party in 1995.
He joined PhRMA in 2005, shortly after playing an instrumental role in gaining congressional passage of legislation expanding Medicare coverage for prescription drugs.
Tauzin arranged a deal with the Obama administration last year to limit the pharmaceutical industry's costs in exchange for supporting healthcare reform, the Times reported. PhRMA, guided by Tauzin, spent millions of dollars for TV commercials over the objections of some of the organization's board members.
Scott Brown's election to the Senate last month in the Massachusetts special election deprived the Democrats of a filibuster-proof majority and derailed the bills that had passed Congress.
A friend told the Times Tauzin is leaving PhRMA because he wants to do something else and not because of objections to his handling of the healthcare issue.
