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AbbVie has retained Trump-connected Winston-Salem-based Checkmate Government Relations for healthcare matters and issues related to the life sciences sector.
The North Chicago company on Feb. 11 sued the Department of Health and Human Services, challenging the move by its Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unit to slap price controls on its Botox product.
It claims that Botox is among the medications that Congress excluded from the Medicare drug price negotiation program created under the Inflation Reduction Act.
AbbVie also says the price cap violates its First Amendment rights by forcing it to claim that the price charged for Botox is “fair.”
The suit names HHS chief Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and CMS administrator Mehmet Oz as defendants.
Botox generates 10 percent of AbbVie’s $61.2B annual revenues.
Checkmate managing partner Ches McDowell, who headed the North Carolina branch of Sportsmen for Trump, heads the AbbVie team.
He joined by healthcare practice director Caitlin Koury and PA director Chris LaCivita, Jr.
Anne Kierig, who was senior manager of public policy at Amazon, has joined the American Advertising Federation as VP-government affairs. She takes over for Clark Rector, who is retiring after a 37-year run at AAF.
TikTok USDS Joint Venture LLC, which was established in compliance with the executive order signed by President Trump, has hired Valcour LLC, which has close ties with his administration.
Ballard Partners has signed on gunmaker Sturm, Ruger & Co to advocate on behalf of Second Amendment issues.
Sakura Conservation Strategies has registered Japanese American Confinement Sites Consortium as a client.
Sachs Media has signed on to represent the Tobacco-Free Kids Action Fund to advocate for public policies proven to reduce tobacco use, which is the No. 1 cause of preventable deaths in the US and the rest of the world.
