The Next Pandemic is Already Out There. What MUST we do differently ?
Martin Lush
Quality System Simplification (Agility) & QMM Specialist : Culture (behavioural change) expert : Biotech Ops & QA Executive Leader : AI Innovator : NED : Leadership Coach : Qualified Person
2 minute read
Ahead of my panel in the upcoming Financial Times Global Boardroom, I've been thinking about the questions we need answering, so we're better prepared next time.
Fact: The next disease with pandemic potential already exists. Quite a few actually. One thing Covid has taught us is that speed is of the essence - but are we now ready? Industry and its regulators have demonstrated the need to react at speed, without compromising safety. To meet future demands and challenges this must become the norm. My fellow panellist are Seth Berkley, CEO Gavi (the Vaccine Alliance) and Ugur Sahin (Co-Founder and CEO – BioNTech). Here are some questions I hope get asked. Let me know if you've any suggestions. This is your opportunity to influence the agenda!
- Microbes will always be ahead of the game. When will we focus on disease prevention, not treatment (too little, too late)
- How will governments incentivise industry to increase R&D investment in new antibacterials to combat scary levels of antibiotic resistance?
- Will new ‘platform’ technologies transform the vaccine business model for ever? Will we see more multi mode manufacturing models with regional presence?
- How will we increase manufacturing capacity for vaccines and all injectable medicines ? Will we see more regional manufacture and simpler supply chains? Will we see growth in CMO/CDMO investment? Is an increase in automation the answer?
- How can we speed up regulatory approvals to accelerate innovation and improvement? Even minor changes can take years to get approved. How can we make the regulatory playing field ‘even’ and faster?
- How can we improve (using digital & analytical tools) end to end visibility of supply chains to prevent bottlenecks of products, components and essential raw materials?
- The only way to rid ourselves of Covid is by adopting a global strategy of maximum suppression. Instead, we see vaccine nationalism with only 4% of the worlds population vaccinated. Governments promise to support the less fortunate – but don’t deliver. This puts everyone at risk. How can this be prevented now and in the future?
- Let me know 'what else' !
Please let me know what other questions you would like asked. Please bring your ideas to the Financial Times Global Boardroom. And of course, if you wish to attend any of the panels between May 4 – 6, you can register here (use promo code NSF10 to save 10%).
I hope to see you there!
Founder and Chief Executive Officer (HSL BioTechnologies Inc.)
3 年Dear Martin. For your panel discussion. (Q2). Should we (governments) encourage companies to increase their R&D spend significantly, especially for pandemic vaccine and therapy development, with the agreement that vaccine pricing will be more flexible and profit taking allowed as needed, to benefit future development? What do you personally think?
Founder and Chief Executive Officer (HSL BioTechnologies Inc.)
3 年Dear Martin. You kindly invited us to suggest questions you may want to consider for the panel discussion next week. I suggest the following (Question 1). Should we open up companies' vaccine technology IP to global corporate use to speed up the development and Mfg of vaccine solutions? Risks/Benefits? Your Final decision?
Entrepreneur | Executive | Advisor @ Thinking Advisory
3 年Thanks Martin for the post. As you said speed is key. The speed before the problem happens is even more important to me : - In the face of multiplicative, fat-tailed and systemic risk (pandemics) one should act very fast even before evidence which makes evidence-based science weak at the very early stages for a pandemic - Use precautionary principle once the properties of the disease is known - Transferring risk to specific industry at early stage, say airline industry to stop spread of germs saves lives and tones of money - Pandemics with their consequential nature require very strong and different leadership to enact unpopular measures in the short run but hugely beneficial in the long run - We really need to start teaching people the non-linearity and fat-tail nature of life
Business Development @ Redica Systems | President @ PDA SE Parenteral Drug Association | PDA Regulatory and Quality Advisory Board
3 年Hello Martin, your posts and talks are always insightful. I plan to join your talk next week. Cheers!