Political Engagement and Lobbying Policy
McKesson understands that the decisions made by policymakers have a profound impact on our local communities, industry, business, customers, and the patients they serve. We seek to educate elected and appointed officials about the solutions we offer to improve patient safety, reduce the cost and variability of care, and improve the quality and efficiency of healthcare delivery. Information regarding our public policy approach and priorities can be found on our website.
McKesson believes that transparency and accountability with respect to political expenditures and lobbying are important, including our advocacy efforts designed to help combat the opioids epidemic.
Where permitted by law in the U.S., we may contribute corporate funds to state and local candidates, parties, committees, ballot measures, and political organizations. All of our political and lobbying activities are focused on promoting the interest of our company, without regard to the personal political preferences or affiliations of any of our employees, officers or directors. We are committed to complying with all applicable federal, state and local laws relating to political contributions and lobbying activities, including registration, disclosure and reporting of such activities, where appropriate.
Internal Policies and Procedures
McKesson’s corporate political contributions and lobbying efforts are subject to robust internal procedures designed to align these efforts with our public policy priorities and applicable law. Our efforts are led by our Senior Vice President of Public Affairs in consultation with senior business leaders and internal and external counsel. All political contributions using corporate funds are reviewed by outside counsel and must be approved by the Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, with contributions greater than $1,000 approved by the Chief Executive Officer. McKesson makes political contributions to candidates from both parties using rigorous objective criteria that promote the interests of the company. The Senior Vice President of Public Affairs has oversight responsibility for all lobbying activities and expenditures and periodically reviews its memberships in trade associations who may engage in policy advocacy.
McKesson’s Code of Conduct prohibits employees from using company time or resources for personal political activity and requires employees to notify Public Affairs or the Legal Department before engaging in any activity on behalf of the company to influence a public official, whether directly or indirectly, through oral or written communication. The company does not make “independent expenditures” nor does it contribute to so-called “Super PACs.”
From time to time, the company provides contributions from corporate funds to candidates outside the U.S. where the company has business operations. Any such contributions require approval from the region’s Public Affairs and the Legal Department.
Board Oversight of Political Activities
McKesson’s Board of Directors and Governance Committee exercise oversight with respect to the company’s political activities, including lobbying efforts and expenditures pertaining to laws or regulations governing the distribution of controlled substances. The Senior Vice President of Public Affairs provides quarterly updates to the Board of Directors on such matters consisting of reports on public policy issues, political engagements, lobbying activity and corporate political contributions.
Federal Lobbying Activities and Expenditures
McKesson believes in transparency regarding its lobbying activities and expenditures including those made to trade associations and other tax exempt organizations.
We file quarterly reports regarding our U.S. federal lobbying activities and political contributions with the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Secretary of the U.S. Senate. These reports are available by searching for “McKesson Corporation” as a “Registrant” on the U.S. Senate's website. These reported expenditures list the aggregate dollar amount of McKesson’s U.S. federal lobbying activities. We also report our state lobbying activities where required by law.
In addition, McKesson publicly discloses the following information on a calendar year basis:
- McKesson’s policy priorities and material federal and state lobbying efforts in the year, including with respect to laws or regulations governing the distribution of controlled substances
- aggregate dollars spent by McKesson on external lobbying activities
- aggregate dollars spent for external federal lobbyists, with a breakdown of names and payment ranges
- aggregate dollars spent for external state lobbyists, with a breakdown of names, states and payment ranges
Please see our 2023 report (PDF, 156 KB) on lobbying activities. Our lobbying reports from prior years are available here.
McKesson’s Public Affairs team includes members who are registered to lobby at the state or federal levels and primarily involved in managing our external lobbyists. Our Public Affairs team generally does not engage in grassroots lobbying communications. For purposes of this policy, “grassroots lobbying communications” means a communication directed to the general public that (a) refers to specific legislation or regulation, (b) reflects a view on the legislation or regulation and (c) encourages the recipient of the communication to take action with respect to the legislation or regulation.
State and Federal Corporate Political Contributions
While the McKesson Employees’ PAC is the primary vehicle for political engagement, the company does make a limited number of corporate political contributions at the state level where permitted by U.S. and state law. McKesson believes in transparency regarding political contributions and voluntarily discloses these corporate political contributions to state and local candidates, parties, committees, ballot measures, and political organizations on this website. This report is regularly updated when new contributions are made. This report also includes payments to entities organized under section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code (also known as “527 organizations”).
Please see for our 2023 report (PDF, 103 KB) on corporate political contributions at the state level where permitted. Links to reports for prior years are here.
McKesson Employees’ Political Action Committee
McKesson engages in the political process primarily through the McKesson Employees’ Political Action Committee (PAC). The mission of the PAC is to support candidates for federal and state office who understand our business and share our vision for the future of healthcare. Contributions made by the PAC are funded entirely by eligible McKesson employees on a voluntary basis. Such contributions are not made with corporate assets. The PAC allows employees to pool their financial resources to support federal, state and local candidates, political party committees, and political action committees. Eligible employees may choose not to participate without fear of reprisal.
Oversight of PAC Activities
PAC contributions are made in accordance with objective and consistent evaluative criteria. The activities of the PAC, which is governed by its own Board of Trustees, are subject to comprehensive regulation by federal and state governments, including detailed disclosure requirements. The PAC files monthly reports of receipts and disbursements with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), as well as pre-election and post-election FEC reports. Click here for the FEC database of PAC contributions and enter “McKesson Corporation Employees Political Fund” or “Committee ID: C00108035.”