In 2018 alone - Big Farma spent US$284 million on "greasing...

In 2018 alone - Big Farma spent US$284 million on "greasing government wheels" - aka lobbying

some less politically correct would call it corruption

https://www.opensecrets.org/federal-lobbying/industries?cycle=2018

With an election there this year - this amount may increase -
as "funding" political parties is considered a national corporate sport

You will notice that the western world is spending record amounts on "health"
and our societies a gradually becoming less healthier
but Big Farma is getting richer