Entrepreneur Nicole Shanahan raised concerns about the financial connections between Democratic senators and the pharmaceutical and medical industries, criticizing the influence of corporate money on policymakers who claim to advocate for ordinary Americans.

Speaking alongside Senator Rand Paul, Shanahan also highlighted the challenges smaller biotech companies face in trying to compete with industry giants like Pfizer, Moderna, and Merck, which dominate the vaccine market.

Shanahan directly called out Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), who are often seen as champions of progressive causes, for accepting substantial sums from pharmaceutical and medical industry donors.

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“People today are publishing how much money each of these senators at the confirmation hearing today received from pharma and the medical industry, and it’s astounding how much money has gone into some of these individuals that claim they’re these democratic heroes for the little guy, you know, Warren and Bernie,” Shanahan said.

She pointed to the millions of dollars these senators have amassed in campaign contributions, suggesting that this financial backing may influence their policy positions.

“Together, they have amassed millions of dollars of receipts from big pharma, and that is a huge sum of money when you’re talking about these races that they’re in. So that’s not how much it takes to win these races. I’ve analyzed it,” she continued.

According to Shanahan, this funding transforms lawmakers into “a marketing extension” for pharmaceutical companies, ensuring that federal government policies—and taxpayer dollars—continue to benefit large drug manufacturers.

Shanahan also addressed the dominance of major pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer, Moderna, and Merck, which she described as monopolies bolstered by government policies that stifle competition.

“I have to share with you, Senator, I’ve had many startups and mid-sized biotech companies reach out to me and say, hey, you know, we are actually developing a safer vaccine, and we just can’t get through because, you know, Pfizer and Moderna, they’re monopolies at this point, and Merck, they have a monopoly, and there’s no competition,” Shanahan explained.

She emphasized the barriers that smaller biotech firms face in bringing innovative products to market, blaming government regulations that favor established pharmaceutical giants.

“Of course, you know, like, we can spend all of this time and investment into researching safer vaccines, but we just can’t break through in the market because the government has created these monopolies,” she said.

Nicole Shanahan: “People today are publishing, how much money each of these senators at the confirmation hearing today received, from pharma and and medical industry. And it’s astounding how much money has gone into some of these individuals that claim they’re these Democratic… pic.twitter.com/QkF11BYpXv

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Shanahan’s comments reflect growing criticism of the pharmaceutical industry’s outsized influence on public policy and the perceived conflicts of interest within the political establishment.

Her remarks also highlight concerns about limited competition in the vaccine market, which critics argue has been exacerbated by government policies favoring large corporations.

The conversation with Senator Rand Paul underscored the ongoing debate over how pharmaceutical companies and their financial ties to politicians shape the country’s healthcare policies, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.