By LA Times, 12/21/1999

ASHINGTON - Vice President Al Gore yesterday attacked Bill Bradley's relationship with the pharmaceutical industry, saying his rival for the Democratic presidential nomination consistently sided with drug companies at the expense of consumers. Gore noted that Bradley, during his three terms in the Senate, championed legislation to extend the life of patents on drugs, which Gore said would have delayed the approval of generic competition and ''artificially kept prices very, very high.'' Eric Hauser, Bradley's spokesman, acknowledged that the pharmaceutical industry is New Jersey's largest employer, but he rejected Gore's contention that Bradley sided with drug makers against consumers. (Los Angeles Times)