Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has officially launched a multiyear, nationwide campaign to repair the public image of its industry as federal lawmakers call for policies to slow down the rising cost of many prescription medications.

PhRMA's GoBoldly campaign will include national TV, print, digital, radio, out-of-home advertising and new website, GoBoldly.com. The association is promising to "showcase the industry's unsung heroes driving cutting-edge advances in science and highlight the tremendous opportunity that exists to tackle our most complex and devastating health conditions."

The group also is bolstering its public affairs activities with three separate and related campaigns focusing on highlighting pharmaceutical scientists, proving the public value of the industry and educating the public about health issues.

"Thanks to the tireless work of biopharmaceutical researchers and scientists, we have entered a new era of medicine that is transforming the way we prevent and treat disease. This campaign spotlights their perseverance and unwavering commitment to American patients for whom we all work," PhRMA CEO Stephen Ubl said.

GoBoldly may become one of the most expensive PR campaigns ever launched by an association. PhRMA hasn't disclosed figures, but last year the association raised membership dues by 50 percent to generate an additional $100 million in revenue, Politico reported at the time. Much of the money will go toward fighting political efforts to rein in the price of medications.

Drug prices have become a political liability for the pharmaceutical industry as the result of two recent controversies. The first was the decision by Turing Pharmaceuticals last year to raise the price of a potentially life-saving medication by more than 5,000 percent after acquiring the rights to manufacture the drug. More recently, drug manufacturer Mylan has faced harsh criticism for increasing the price of EpiPens to more than $600 for a pack of two of devices.

Many Democrats have proposed policies to tackle the issue and so have some Republicans. In his first news conference after winning the election, President Donald Trump said drug companies were "getting away with murder" and proposed the government should negotiate drug prices. Biotech and pharmaceutical stocks dropped as a result of his comments.

PhRMA has fought similar proposals in the past. Ubl didn't mention the current controversies in his remarks, but instead emphasized the campaign would showcase people who work in the drug industry and its benefits to the public.

The association has unveiled its first TV spot:

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