For those of us who work daily in an industry trying to find solutions to health challenges, the current situation in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak is in many ways not new. We are always in a situation where effective collaboration between the innovative power of small companies and the muscle of larger companies to reach a global market is needed.
A situation where regulatory authorities, academia, healthcare and industry need to listen to each other and work together to achieve common goals that are ultimately about saving and prolonging lives. Right now, this vital interaction is more evident than ever.
SwedenBIO, as the national industry organization for life science, brings together a significant part of the breadth of actors required to develop both tools to deal with SARS-CoV-2 and solutions to all the other more or less urgent health challenges we face. Life science companies of different sizes and orientations, financiers, service companies with regulatory expertise, communication and much more, as well as our incubators and science parks are all part of a machinery that we commonly refer to as the ecosystem.
In order for this machinery to work as efficiently as possible , we at SwedenBIO are now mobilizing. Both to support your members who are affected by the effects of the coronavirus, not least the stock market turmoil we are now experiencing, and to contribute to an objective and fact-based discussion about the industry’s ability to contribute to society’s handling of the coronavirus. As part of this, we are now opening up a Q&A function on the SwedenBIO website. Here, questions can be asked about the role of the Swedish life science industry in meeting the challenge, but also more practical questions that may be relevant to member companies.
We are also in dialog with decision-makers about the needs of the industry, and this dialog will continue with undiminished intensity even when the attention on this particular societal challenge has subsided. The long-term nature of our industry and the risks it entails can be an educational challenge to explain. But with the spotlight on life sciences, it’s time to highlight this. The innovation power we gather in the Swedish life science companies operating in Sweden is part of a societal preparedness we need to safeguard. Research carried out by industry, often in close collaboration with academia and healthcare, is an engine of innovation. It needs to be given good conditions to work, without hiccups. Similarly, Sweden’s strength in pharmaceutical production is something that serves patients in Sweden and around the world well.
We also encourage SwedenBIO members to take advantage of being part of a community. There is a wide range of expertise within the membership. Do not hesitate to contact us at the Secretariat if you need support in connecting with different functions and competences. If there is one thing we are really strong in, it’s supporting each other in times of need!
Helena Strigård,
CEO SwedenBIO
