The more one delves into the global influence of Pharma, the more staggering (and creepy) it gets. But ultimately, the facts still point towards banks and neocons as the drivers.

A recent examination in the US that focused on 23 of the biggest drug makers – and the two major trade associations PhRMA and the Biotechnology Innovation Organization, known as BIO – underlined the array of connections between the lawmakers and the drug companies they regulate last year. Vast sums are involved, and the very clear targeting of decisionmakers makes brutally clear just how little this has got to do with “lobbying”, and how much is naked bribery.

As a result of this, Congress has provided billions of additional dollars to federal health care agencies aimed at helping fund drug company research. The decision from Senate Republicans to award BARDA, an agency largely tasked with funding drug companies’ Covid-19 efforts…