It might not be political. It could just be money interest.
Most of the committee at the NIH that approves protocols are currently or have bewen on the payrol of one of the Pharmaceuticals with a competing product.
That's true too !
There is a known revolving door between corporate officials who then go to work for the government,
and then return to their original corporations, who are now more valuable
to their corporate employer because they know what hoops to jump through,
and can be warned of new competitors products that are in the pipeline.