Will your company be prepared when a pandemic strikes? George Abercrombie, who presides over Roche’s US operations, says the drugmaker is ready. And in an essay he makes a few suggestions for other companies: Talk to your local government officials; find ways to make employees confident about going to work; make plans with suppliers in advance, and determine which employees are needed on-site and which can work at home.

By way of example, George says Roche has installed hand sanitizers throughout its facilities; stockpiled necessities; developed plans to make crucial meds no matter what, and convened a meeting with dozens of supplies to hear from pandemic experts. “Even with a big head start, we at Roche are faced with a continually evolving situation that requires constant reexamination of our role as well as the strategies and tactics we employ,” he writes in Industry Week.

Curiously, there’s no mention of distributing Tamiflu to all 5,300 Roche employees in the US. It’s not a secret; the decision was reported earlier this month. And other companies are stockpiling the pill. But no other company makes Tamiflu which, presumably, means Roche personnel won’t have to worry about running out. Maybe George, who isn’t shy about boosting sales, doesn’t want to draw too much attention to this decision.

Of course, if Roche employees don’t receive Tamiflu and take ill, there may be a shortage just when the pill is needed most. Then again, no one knows if Tamiflu works against bird flu and, in Japan, concern is running feverishly high that the drug causes kids sick with flu to act strangely and leap off balconies. So add this to your pandemic preparedness list - stock up on drugs, but make sure the drug works and won’t cause one to jump off tall buildings in a single bound.

Essay in Industry Week;
Latest from Mainchi Daily News;
Warning issued this week by Health Canada.
Double-dose testing to cut bird flu death rate in Reuters.

[tags]Bird Flu, George Abercrombie, Roche, Tamiflu[/tags]