2009,

At nearly $266.8 million, the pharmaceutical and health products industry’s federal lobbying expenditures not only outpaced all other business industries and special interest areas in 2009, but stand as the greatest amount ever spent on lobbying efforts by a single industry for one year.

The pharmaceutical and health products industry was followed last year in overall lobbying expenditures by business associations ($183 million), oil and gas ($168.4 million) and insurance ($164.2 million). In each case, the 2009 totals are greater than that of 2008. Electric utilities, at $144.4 million, placed fifth, although this industry's 2009 lobbying total is slightly off its 2008 pace.

Rounding out the top 10: computers/Internet companies ($118.9 million); general manufacturing and distributing ($113.4 million); hospitals and nursing homes ($108.4 million); television, movies and music ($107.3 million) and education ($98.6 million).

Other health-related industries also ranked highly among the more than 120 industries and special interest areas tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics, such as health professionals ($84.6 million) and health services ($73.9 million).