Quote from source:
A livestock drug banned in 160 nations and responsible for hyperactivity, muscle breakdown and 10 percent mortality in pigs has been approved by the FDA.

The beta agonist ractopamine, a repartitioning agent that increases protein synthesis, was recruited for livestock use when researchers found the drug, used in asthma, made mice more muscular.

Ractopamine is started as the animal nears slaughter.

How does a drug marked, "Not for use in humans. Individuals with cardiovascular disease should exercise special caution to avoid exposure. Use protective clothing, impervious gloves, protective eye wear, and a NIOSH-approved dust mask" become "safe" in human food? With no washout period?

The drug is banned in Europe, Taiwan and China, and more than 1,700 people have been "poisoned" from eating pigs fed the drug since 1998, but ractopamine is used in 45 percent of U.S. pigs and 30 percent of ration-fed cattle.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The largest U.S. doctors' group and one of the biggest American pharmaceutical companies reported spending more money than other health care organizations on lobbying in the second quarter of this year.
With the fight over President Obama's effort to revamp the nation's health care system escalating, the American Medical Association said it spent $4 million in April, May and June, according to reports to Congress due Monday. Eli Lilly, the Indianapolis-based producer of numerous drugs, ranked second in the health care sector at $3.6 million.


OBAMA: Vows to fight for health care overhaul

In reports filed by 5 p.m. ET Monday afternoon, 15 health-related associations and companies had reported spending at least $1 million each lobbying during the quarter.

The stakes are huge for the health industry. Congressional Democrats are pushing legislation that could cost roughly $1 trillion over the coming decade, paid for in part by cuts in federal health care programs such as Medicare. Lobbyists have been flooding Capitol Hill for months, and many interest groups have already invested millions of dollars in ad campaigns favoring or opposing various portions of the emerging bills.

According to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics, the health sector reported spending $127 million in lobbying during the first three months of this year, more than any other area.

It can take many days for all the reports to be filed. In the second quarter of 2008, 28 health care concerns reported spending at least $1 million lobbying.

Source: www.usatoday.com...

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By Fredreka Schouten, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — The recession has battered the U.S. economy, but the lobbying industry is humming along in the nation's capital, even for companies that have shed thousands of jobs in the past year.
The 20 trade associations and companies that spent the most on lobbying increased their spending by more than 20% in 2009 to $507.7 million, up from $418.2 million a year earlier, according to a USA TODAY analysis of reports compiled by the non-partisan Center for Responsive Politics.

The top 20 include oil giant ConocoPhillips, which announced nearly 1,300 layoffs in January 2009, and drugmaker Pfizer, which shed 4,200 jobs since completing its merger with drug company Wyeth last fall.

ConocoPhillips and its subsidiaries more than doubled lobbying spending to $18.1 million last year as Congress worked on climate change legislation, the review of recently filed reports shows. The oil company had $8.5 million in lobbying expenses in 2008.

Pfizer and subsidiaries spent $24.6 million to lobby Congress and the Obama administration last year, up $12.2 million in 2008.

When asked about its stepped-up lobbying activity, Pfizer spokeswoman Kristen Neese said in an e-mail that the company is "committed to making our voice heard and to be constructively engaged in our nation's health care debate."

Officials with ConocoPhillips did not return telephone calls.

"Companies have made the decision that they are going to have to spend money today in order to protect their bottom line tomorrow, even if they are in the midst of layoffs, even if their profits are dwindling," said Dave Levinthal of the Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks money in politics. "When Congress is debating sweeping legislation ... they are going to come out in force, regardless of economic conditions on the ground."

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce led spending, pumping $144.5 million into lobbying last year, according to the center's tally. That's a nearly 60% increase over 2008 and came as the business federation battled Congress and the White House over legislation dealing with health care and financial regulation.

Spending jumped because the chamber also launched an advertising campaign last year, including TV ads slamming a congressional proposal to create a new consumer-protection agency to oversee lending, said R. Bruce Josten, the chamber's executive vice president for government affairs. The chamber needed to respond to "critically important, top-tier issues to the business community" coming out of Congress, he said.

More than half of the top 20 companies increased lobbying activity in 2009.

www.usatoday.com...