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Caught Our Eye

Drug abuse caucus co-chair loses aide to pharma industry

Posted by LegiStorm on Oct. 23, 2017

A co-chair of the Senate Prescription Drug Abuse Caucus has lost a policy aide to the nation's largest distributor of prescription drugs.

Claire Brandewie has left Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) to begin lobbying for McKesson Corp., the pharmaceuticals distributor. The former legislative assistant just registered to lobby on opioid abuse for McKesson, as well as other issues like taxes and Medicare and Medicaid. 

McKesson has been a key player in the debate over health care and the opioid addiction crisis. The company, along with competitors AmerisourceBergen and Cardinal Health, controls an estimated 85-90 percent of the entire pharmaceutical distribution business in the United States. McKesson's revenues approach $200 billion, ranking it fifth on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies.

Brandewie, a law school graduate, formerly worked for Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.). She is married to Drew Brandewie, who is communications director for Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas).