Finding Silver Linings in 2020

At the start of this year, no one could have imagined what 2020 would bring. But as I reflect on the year, I’m so inspired by what the global scientific community has been able to achieve. From the incredible collaboration and innovation to develop new treatments and vaccines for COVID-19, to seeing inclusion and diversity promoted and celebrated in our industry, to our efforts to continue to serve people living with cancer in spite of renewed challenges… 2020 has been one for the books. On a personal note, I’ve never been prouder to be part of the life sciences industry – and I truly believe the best is yet to come.

As I look back on 2020, there are a few things that profoundly impacted me:

Global Collaboration to Fight COVID-19 as One

What the life sciences industry has achieved in 2020 has been astounding, and a great reminder for me of why I chose to go into pharma many years ago. The dedication to patients and vigorous pursuit of safe and effective treatments and vaccines for COVID-19 in record time, while continuing to deliver in other disease areas with high unmet need like cancer, has been truly inspiring.

The scientific innovation and unprecedented collaboration across the world started when scientists publicly shared the genetic sequence of SARS-Cov-2, which enabled researchers around the world to develop vaccines. At the same time, scientists and researchers also moved quickly to identify potential treatments for the virus. I am incredibly proud of the hard work and tireless dedication to patients demonstrated by the team at Gilead as they worked to develop the first treatment for COVID-19 to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. With every clinical trial and each new therapeutic advance, we get one step closer to defeating this novel coronavirus. Seeing the first Americans receive the vaccine this week is an experience I will never forget. I am so grateful to the frontline workers everywhere for their sacrifice and glad that they are among the first to receive the vaccine.

A key takeaway for me has been that it’s about coming together, rather than competing, to advance transformational change. As an industry, we’ll need to continue working together as we move past 2020.

A Renewed Focus on Elevating Inclusion & Diversity

Although we have a long ways to go, especially with women leaving the workforce in record numbers as a direct result of COVID-19, it’s been promising to see tangible change unfolding across organizations and companies around the world. And now comes the real test: holding ourselves accountable for the long haul. At Kite and Gilead, we’ve crystallized our commitment with multi-year diversity goals and we’re committing to increased transparency around our Inclusion & Diversity efforts. We’ve also leaned heavily on our employee resource groups (ERGs) this year to bring employees together – virtually – to support one another and to listen to each other’s unique experiences. I am humbled by the heartfelt and often difficult discussions we’ve had this year; during a time when we all feel so far away from each other, these conversations brought us together again for a moment, and I truly believe that their impact will be long-lasting.

The life sciences industry – and all industries – have seen some encouraging progress to improve gender and racial diversity this year, but we should all recognize that this is just the beginning.

Keeping People Living with Cancer Front and Center

I’m also proud of what our industry has been able to accomplish for people living with cancer and those who love them. We all know that cancer doesn’t stop in a pandemic, and stakeholders across the oncology landscape came together to continue delivering for patients in need.

With new challenges come new solutions, and the pandemic delivered its share of obstacles for cancer patients, physicians and researchers. With many of us spending more time at home and handling our healthcare needs from our living rooms, we saw much-needed innovations around improving home cancer care. For example, telemedicine and digital communication were already on the rise before the pandemic. With the increased reliance on technology over these past few months, and the fact that it makes monitoring patient progress and accessing clinical trials easier, these changes are likely here to stay. As someone who has cared for loved ones battling cancer, I welcome any ways that technology can make life a bit easier on people already dealing with so much.

On the topic of innovation, research and development of new treatments has also continued. Despite the many effects the pandemic had on every aspect of healthcare, the number of new drug approvals coming from the FDA did not slow down in 2020, with 47 novel drugs approved as of the beginning of December, among them a record number of oncology drugs. What does all of this mean for patients? We’re seeing a trend toward better outcomes: according to the CDC, the rate of people who die from cancer is expected to decrease from about 171 per 100,000 people in 2010 to 151 per 100,000 people in 2020.

No one can deny that 2020 has been a difficult year. But at the same time, it has acted as the springboard for many of us in the life sciences industry to truly make an impact. I believe that this is only the beginning, setting the stage for what’s to come and the continued effort to reach more patients. Thank you to all who have made a difference for patients this year.