Is the PhRMA Search Over?

The buzz in Washington is that the Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturers of America is preparing to make an announcement about its new CEO. It is just that no one seems to know WHO the pick is.

We published our own suggestions shortly after Billy Tauzin announced his intention to step down (here and here). But frankly, we thought PhRMA would wait until after election day to finalize its choice, both because it obviously makes a huge difference who is calling the shots on Capitol Hill, but also because the pool of available candidates could change dramatically too.

If the rumors of an imminent announcement are correct, obviously that thinking was wrong. And so is our thinking that PhRMA could NEVER keep the pick secret for this long. (We hear there have been very clear warnings issued about the consequences for anyone who talks out of school on the search, but still...This is Washington, DC!)

If PhRMA is ready to make the pick, it will surely be someone with management experience (rather than a "big name" political figure). We would also assume it will be someone who won't have trouble working with Republicans, since PhRMA can probably count on reasonably good access to the White House at the CEO level given the heavy lifting industry did in support of health care reform.

So who is it? Someone out there knows--and you can comment anonymously below!