PhRMA, the trade group that represents the pharmaceutical industry, has long used partnerships with third-party groups to reach a broader audience and enhance credibility.
 
But in April, the association announced an unlikely alliance with Families USA, a progressive organization that represents consumers. The group focuses on three healthcare-reform-related issues and provides PhRMA access to a very different constituency at a key time in the debate.
 
“Our partnerships help expand our reach across the country in trying to raise ...