The other votes were registered by shareholders in AbbVie (ABBV), Amgen (AMGN), Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY), and Eli Lilly (LLY). Although each proposal lost, the fact that more than 20 percent of shareholders in each company supported such a resolution underscores that investors see danger ahead. Typically, such initiatives garner less support at the outset, according to shareholder advisory experts. Rising drug costs have put the entire industry on the defensive as a growing number of Americans complain their medicines are unaffordable. In response, the Trump administration recently released a blueprint, although there is considerable debate over some of the approaches that were proposed. "We view the success of this campaign as clear evidence that investor concerns about these risks are much more widespread than previously thought. If companies fail to adequately respond, investor concerns are sure to grow," said Joshua Brockwell of Azzad Asset Management.