GPhA State Affairs Head Bruce Lott Joins From PhRMA

Generic Pharmaceutical Association Senior Director-State Affairs Bruce Lott will bring experience in media relations on the brand name side of the industry when he joins the trade group the week of Sept. 15.

Lott joins GPhA from the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America, where he served as senior director-public affairs. Lott announced his resignation from PhRMA Sept. 9.

GPhA wants to work with states on developing programs to maximize generic utilization, including preferred drug lists, step therapy and permissive substitution. The association is also concerned about proposals to require supplemental rebates from generic manufacturers.

State affairs had been handled at GPhA by Suzanne Charleston, who joined the association at the beginning of 2003 from the Pharmaceutical Care Management Association (¹ (Also see "GPhA Adds Legislative Staffer For Republican Focus, Creates PAC" - Pink Sheet, 16 Dec, 2002.), p. 21). Charleston, however, left GPhA earlier this year.

Lott's move is a relatively rare example of a staff level switch from the brand name trade association to the generic side.

Following the 2000 creation of GPhA, Generic Pharmaceutical Industry Association President Alice Till, PhD, joined PhRMA as VP-science policy & technical affairs (² (Also see "PhRMA Technical Affairs VP Till Joins From GPhA" - Pink Sheet, 30 Oct, 2000.), p. 17).

Till's predecessor at GPIA, Lewis Engman, had previously been president of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association, although he spent a decade in other pursuits before joining GPIA.

PhRMA is in the process of rebuilding its communication staff under VP-Communications Ed Belkin, who joined the association in August (³ (Also see "PhRMA VP-Communications Belkin Is Veteran Of Clinton Health Care Debate" - Pink Sheet, 21 Jul, 2003.), p. 11).

Lott is one of five members of the PhRMA communications team who have left the association in the past two months (see ⁴ (Also see "PhRMA Communications Staff Adds State Affairs, Editorial Services Directors" - Pink Sheet, 15 Sep, 2003.)).