Familiar foe

As winter looms, so too does a name that sends chills through our collective soul – COVID-19. The pantomime baddie we hoped we’d seen the back of.

In reality, COVID-19 does not represent the terrifying existential threat of 2020. It is now simply part of the ever-circulating family (and I use that term loosely) of viruses that enter and leave our systems at will.

The only major diference being that we all know the name of this one. It is still not widely appreciated. However, that the entire reason for COVID-19’s status as ‘just another virus’ is the work of the life sciences industry (shout out to Professor Sarah Gilbert!).

And it’s worth reiterating that the current status quo of relative COVID calm is not due to Boris Johnson or Matt Hancock or Harry & Meghan, or Bluey for that matter. It is squarely down to the unheralded lab crews of these fair isles.

Indeed, history may never truly recognise pharma as the defacto freedom fghter of the pandemic story, so I’m dropping it in here for posterity.

Navigating threats at light speed will continue to dictate the narrative, with technology, digital, AI and the life sciences taking a leading role. And thus, healthcare professionals – more specifcally doctors and nurses – will inevitably embrace ‘the future’, and collaborate with it.

Undoubtedly, from the tumult of industrial action and razzmatazz of an eradefning election, next year, the emergence of a match ft pharma/NHS union has never been more crucial.