Steve Ubl is set to depart as PhRMA’s CEO at the end of the year.Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Semafor

John Wilkerson is a Washington correspondent for STAT who writes about the politics of health care. He is also the author of the twice-weekly D.C. Diagnosis newsletter.

WASHINGTON — Steve Ubl is stepping down as CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America after more than a decade leading the brand drug industry’s main trade group.

Ubl plans to depart by the end of the year and will remain in his position until a new leader is found, according to a PhRMA statement.

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Ubl led the organization during tumultuous times that included the Covid-19 pandemic and aggressive political attacks on drug prices. Democrats passed a law directing Medicare to negotiate drug prices, and the Trump administration struck voluntary deals with individual drugmakers aimed at lowering U.S. prices to levels in other high-income countries. 

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