Our Response to COVID-19
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Bristol Myers Squibb has focused on ensuring the continued supply of our medicines to our patients and protecting the health, wellbeing and safety of our workforce. We are also participating in partnerships and research efforts to advance diagnostics and treatments for COVID-19 and supporting relief efforts across the globe. Here are some highlights of our response efforts:
Patients
Expanded patient support programs to help eligible unemployed patients in the U.S.
Expanded access to free BMS medicines, including some of our most widely prescribed products and those prescribed via telehealth services.
Ensured no interruption in supplying medicines to patients or in any of the operations at any of the sites and distribution networks.
Participated as one of 15 companies in the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation’s COVID-19 Therapeutics Accelerator to identify concrete actions to accelerate treatments, vaccines and diagnostics.
Organized and led a COVID-19 Testing Industry Consortium with 18 other healthcare companies to inform, improve, innovate and accelerate various aspects of testing for COVID-19.
People
Provided essential workers with on-site testing, concierge services, and flexibility to address individual needs.
Donated $1 million to the American Red Cross, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies as a result of our inaugural BMS for Community event, with employees, families and patients participating in “Moving for Minutes” activities such as walking, running, swimming, cycling or volunteering, exceeding the 1-million-minute goal.
Communities
Bristol Myers Squibb, together with the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation, contributed more than $31 million in financial support and much-needed products, including PPE such as masks and gloves to relief efforts in 45 countries.
Engaged with more than 250 patient and professional organizations to support research, education and a broad range of efforts to benefit patients in need.
Launched the COVID Advocacy Exchange, a virtual platform that brought together a range of stakeholders—patient advocacy organizations, patients, policymakers, healthcare practitioners and industry members—to support the crucial exchange of information and to provide a forum for live, interactive sessions that encourage discussion and collaboration, in partnership with GRYT Health. More than 25,000 people engaged in the COVID Advocacy Exchange during 2020.
In support of science
Enabled telemedicine visits with physicians to minimize the need for patients to go into a hospital or a clinical trial site.
Shipped trial medications directly to the patient’s home, when possible.
Initiated a proof-of-concept clinical trial assessing the safety and efficacy of Orencia® (abatacept) in hospitalized patients with COVID-19. The trial is currently enrolling.
Joined a consortium of companies to share data and identify molecules with the strongest scientific rationale for investigating with clinical trials, and accelerating them into studies.
Entered into an exclusive license agreement with The Rockefeller University to develop, manufacture and commercialize their novel monoclonal antibody (mAb) duo treatment that neutralizes the SARS-CoV-2 virus for therapy or prevention of COVID-19.
