April 2020: From the Editor

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As I write, the world is in a state of medical and economic uncertainty related to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) that it causes. Our company group, Informa Connect, has been forced to reschedule some major conferences — including BPI West and BPI Europe — but it’s not alone. Many life-science meetings have been canceled or postponed, and some Biogen employees probably wish their management meeting late in February had been as well. That company has become infamous for an outbreak, and many organizations are asking employees who can do so to work from home. Others have suspended international business travel and conference attendance. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) temporarily closed its offices after a visitor tested positive.

The biopharmaceutical industry usually thinks of pandemic preparedness and infectious-disease outbreaks as potential business opportunities. In fact, I’ll be delving more into the subject of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine development in an eBook for release in May. By that time, either we’ll have managed to “flatten the curve,” or we’ll have a full-blown global catastrophe on our thoroughly washed hands. But events in early March have shown us that these incidents create business challenges as well — those more widespread than the opportunities ever could be.

Will mortality rates approach those of the Spanish influenza a century ago? So far, the current situation has served mostly as a test of preparedness. Governments, companies, and other organizations all are learning how ready they are (or not) and how well their plans work (if they have any). What looks sensible on paper may not reflect the reality of how human beings function in a crisis: Who knew a respiratory-disease outbreak would cause a toilet-paper shortage?

This issue’s unofficial subtheme highlights the topic of viral contamination, particularly with bovine serum products. A virus that is endemic in the worldwide population of cattle cannot be tolerated in cell cultures. How does the serum industry address that? And what can users do to manage the risk? Of course, it’s not the only potential contaminant of concern. One of our supplier-side articles takes a wider view in testing fetal bovine serum for several adventitious agents.

So viruses seem to be a hot-button topic these days. Last year it was Zika, the year before it was Ebola — and lesser zoonotic influenzas and SARS coronavirus outbreaks have come and gone. None have closed borders and interrupted supply chains like the current incident has. As of 3 March, the World Health Organization estimated the Covid-19 death rate at around 3%, but it’s much higher for older and health-compromised patients and much lower for younger, healthier people. As individuals are reminded to practice social distancing, companies too must be nimble in reacting to the situation as it changes every day. Those that take the right actions and precautions without over- or underestimating the need for them will come out of it all in the best shape to move on into the future.

Training and staffing are keys to success, and you’ll find discussions of both in the front and back of this issue. If current events have taught us anything, it’s that people are the heart of it all.