Few can doubt we are living in very challenging times. COVID-19 continues to devastate people and communities around the world. Social and political unrest are forcing us to confront pressing issues like racial equity and inclusiveness with greater urgency and resolve. Too many people still do not have adequate access to affordable and high-quality healthcare.
For Novartis, these challenges are giving added urgency to our purpose of reimagining medicine to improve and extend people’s lives. And they’re inspiring us to look for new ways to help patients, strengthen communities, drive sustainability, and build a more equitable and responsive healthcare system for all.
The 2020 Novartis in Society US Report lays out some of the ways we are making a difference – not just as a global pharmaceutical leader but also as a catalyst for positive change more broadly. Key to this effort are the many partnerships we have forged with organizations that share our vision of a stronger, healthier, more sustainable and more equitable society.
Addressing COVID-19 remains a top priority for us. The crisis has spurred an unprecedented level of collaboration both inside Novartis and across the pharmaceutical industry as we work together to end the pandemic as quickly as possible. Families and communities are hurting too and to help them, Novartis US Foundation established a USD 5 million COVID-19 Community Response Fund for immediate response and recovery efforts related to the pandemic.
With disadvantaged communities severely impacted by COVID-19, the pandemic has underscored the urgent need to make healthcare more equitable, responsive, accessible and affordable to patients. The 2020 Report outlines some of the innovative ways Novartis is addressing this imperative.
They include implementing a new strategy to significantly boost the low participation rate by minorities in clinical trials, which will help researchers find better ways to fight diseases, including those that disproportionally affect certain populations. The Novartis US Foundation also has made disparities of care a priority issue, with the goal of driving greater health equity in the US.
Our report lays out some of the ways Novartis is making a difference – not just as a global pharmaceutical leader but also as a catalyst for positive change more broadly.
This is part of our broad-based commitment to Diversity & Inclusion, which are essential to delivering on our purpose as a healthcare company. The 2020 Report discusses some the ways Novartis is working to cultivate a more equitable and inclusive environment for our associates, including through policies in recruitment, retention and promotion to leadership roles.
Even in these difficult times, we have much to be optimistic about, especially in science and medicine. The 2020 Report details some of the exciting ways Novartis is using innovative tools and technologies to challenge medical paradigms, explore new possibilities to cure disease and intervene earlier in chronic illnesses, and improve quality of life.
Still, there is much we all must do to ensure that the benefits of medical innovation are shared broadly. Our report lays out some of the challenges and opportunities ahead as we work together to build a strong, sustainable and equitable healthcare system for the future.
Read how Novartis is helping patients, strengthening communities, driving sustainability and making healthcare more equitable
