COVID – The Catalyst for Collaboration
Industry response during Covid seems to have been somewhat of a litmus test to ascertain those true to a patient-centric purpose. There seems to have a been a spectrum of responses - those companies that immediately battened down the hatches and were introspective versus those who saw the big picture and immediately recognised the challenges facing the charitable sector they were engaged with. Introspection and a focus on dealing with an unprecedented global situation was understandable. However, it provided a stark contrast to those companies that took an outward looking approach. We heard incredible heart-warming stories of actions and reactions by industry in this time of crisis and others that frankly would not have passed the red face test. We all know, you are only as good as your last performance and a reputation can be built and destroyed in times of crisis. On the whole, what we saw was incredible collaboration, between companies, with academia and Government.
This was a fact highlighted in our discussions and a sincere hope that this would be a new era in collaboration across the board for industry. A hope that some good has come from Covid when it comes to how industry collaborate with each other and collaborate beyond/outside their own industry.
Good Partnerships
Have contingency plans for times of crisis, including how to work with and continue to support patient groups. Will make sure these relationships are still front of mind and given due consideration at a time when it is all too easy to become introspective and adopt a short-term mindset.
Stellar Partnerships
Recognise there’s greater scope for cross-industry collaboration and also know that it can sometimes prove a small world in the world of this industry. Recognise there’s more scope to tap into the network of like-minded individuals from other commercial organisations or third party groups to create a greater sense of common purpose to support all patients in a relevant disease area or perhaps across the NHS, particularly during the ongoing crisis within the NHS.
“I will never forget the companies that helped and the ones that went quiet during Covid. One organisation immediately set up an emergency fund for patient organisations, enabling access to funding within a week.
I cried when they told me.”
Trudie Lobban MBE
Founder and Trustee, Arrhythmia Alliance
“I think industry can make it incredibly difficult to collaborate with other companies in the industry. I know of examples where the legal department have held up an initiative and non-promotional initiative for 18 months, because the two legal teams spent the time throwing out certain words in the contract, and another group would throw another law out or would add one.
COVID has shown us what’s possible. And it’s changed what is possible.”
Debra Montague
Founder and Chairwoman, ALK Positive UK