BIO has been celebrating Black History Month by recognizing Black scientists and innovators—and by acknowledging our sector’s place within the context of Black history, so we can understand our past and what we need to do to ensure equitable access to science and a more just and inclusive world.
Over the last year, as the Black Lives Matter movement increased awareness about the scale of work necessary in the fight for equity and inclusion—and inspired corporate America to work towards these goals—COVID-19 has been killing Black and Hispanic people at much higher rates.
But we know these inequities did not begin in 2020—and we can’t tackle this issue without first discussing Tuskegee,writes our reporter J.P. Carroll. The COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing vaccine distribution efforts have highlighted the need not only to address longstanding inequities in access to healthcare but also the need to directly confront historic mistrust in the biotechnology sector.
What should we do now? Ultimately, the culture of any organization is set at the top—and BIO is leading by example with the appointment of President and CEO Dr. Michelle McMurry-Heath as well as initiatives to ensure representation is prioritized. (Read about BIO’s diversity and inclusion initiatives.)
But as company demographics and COVID-19 outcomes show, there’s still a ton of work to do. This is why BIO launched the BIOEquality Agenda last year to promote health equity, invest in minority scientists, and expand opportunities in the industry for women and underrepresented populations.
During Black History Month—and all year long—BIO remains committed to helping member companies be more representative of the diversity of the United States and the patients we serve.Learn more about what we’re doing and where we’re going from here.
Want to catch up on all the Black scientists and innovators we’ve featured this month?Check out the Good Day BIO Archives.
Health Care News:
Nature: This COVID-vaccine designer is tackling vaccine hesitancy—in churches and on Twitter
“Immunologist Kizzmekia Corbett helped to design the Moderna vaccine. Now she volunteers her time talking about vaccine science with people of color.”
Reuters: Merck in talks with governments, other drugmakers to produce COVID-19 shots
“‘Beyond our own candidates, we are actively involved in discussions with governments, public health agencies, and other industry colleagues to identify the areas of pandemic response where we can play a role, including potential support for production of authorized vaccines,’ a company spokesman said.”
Agriculture and Environment News:
The Wall Street Journal: Bill Gates has a master plan for battling climate change
“With a new book, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster, and a cadre of billionaire partners, he now has an action plan for ending the world’s carbon dependency.”