The Pharmacy Guild of Australia donated almost $600,000 to political parties in the past financial year, Australian Electoral Commission records show.

It is not the largest sum the guild has forked out — with its expenses topping $750,000 in 2018/19 — but a sizeable jump from $300,000 in the previous financial year.

Many donors dug deep in the 12-month period encompassing the federal election.

Pharma lobby group Medicines Australia reported $160,000 in donations, with individual companies also shelling out, including Bristol Myers-Squibb ($81,000), Pfizer ($50,000), MSD ($38,000) and MSD’s spinoff company Organon ($85,000).