High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), founded in 1958, is a trade group representing the pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies in the United States. PhRMA's mission is advocacy for public policies that encourage the discovery of new medicines for patients by pharmaceutical and biotechnology research companies. PhRMA's current CEO is former congressman Billy Tauzin. On its website, PhRMA states its "mission is winning advocacy for public policies that encourage the discovery of life-saving and life-enhancing new medicines for patients by pharmaceutical / biotechnology research companies. PhRMA lobbying activities have extended outside of the United States. "America's big drug companies are intensifying their lobbying efforts to 'change the Canadian health-care system' and eliminate subsidized prescription drug prices enjoyed by Canadians," CanWest News Service reported on June 9, 2003.