Major pharma companies place travel restrictions due to the coronavirus

Due to the rising fears of the coronavirus, several major drugmakers have implemented travel restrictions. Pharma companies such as AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Mylan, Sanofi and Novartis have advised employees to reschedule business meetings in affected areas or have prohibited them from travelling to and from China.

AstraZeneca has restrained all non-business-critical travel to and from Hong Kong and China. Furthermore, Mylan has restricted all travel to and from China until further notice and Bristol-Myers Squibb, as well as AbbVie, have put travel limitations in place on the areas affected by the virus.

Sanofi has formulated its China internal crisis committee, to help continue business and support employees. Furthermore, the company has issued face masks to Chinese employees, to prevent risks of infection, and has advised them to work at home.

Boehringer Ingelheim is requesting for its employees to reschedule business meetings or to arrange them virtually. Johnson & Johnson is also offering its employees chances to shift to virtual meetings and to work from home.

If the virus continues to spread, pharma giants could experience drug shortages or major disruptions to their supply chains.

Heather Bresch, CEO of Mylan, stated: “Our business exposure in China is limited. However, given the global nature of our supply chain, operations and businesses, our results could potentially be impacted.”

A Sanofi spokesperson stated: “At a global level, all events in China must be postponed and all travel to and from China is strictly not recommended.”