I am saddened, disgusted, embarrassed and flat out angry at BI’s response to the virus and it’s lack of care for the field sales force and the customers we serve. The March 11th email from Wolfgang again started with “Your health and safety is our top priority.” It was followed by a graph of directives including: “What is my exposure? I have had known exposure to someone who has an order to be quarantined but is asymptomatic. What Should I do? You should continue to perform your work duties.“
‘This virus is highly contagious even when asymptomatic. The company is directing us to continue exposing our most vulnerable patients in pulmonary, cardiology, oncology and endocrinology offices to the virus that we may have been exposed to and may now carry.
On March 10th Wolfgang wrote “Our continued focus should be to conduct business as usual whenever and wherever possible to ensure that our patients and customers receive the medicines they need.” But I ask: at what expense? At the expense of us being exposed and contracting the virus? At the expense of contributing to the problem? At the expense of our own personal safety and our families? We are all likely healthy and will be minimally affected. However, we become carriers and infecting devices that put immunocompromised patients, healthcare providers, community members and our families at risk.
Yesterday, our partner company Eli Lilly pulled their representatives out of the field across the country if they live in zip codes where cases have been confirmed. If they don’t live in an area, they are no longer approved to call on doctors who are in identified areas of concern. They decided to do that because they believe it is unethical to contribute to the problem. They put the patient first by worrying about keeping them safe, not keeping them in samples.
So what say you BI? What will you do now? Because your approach thus far has been self-serving and we feel used, disrespected, and ashamed to be representing this company as we put the mighty dollar before patients’ lives and humanity’s welfare. Perhaps it’s time to walk your talk and value statement “to provide more health and improve the lives of humans.”
‘This virus is highly contagious even when asymptomatic. The company is directing us to continue exposing our most vulnerable patients in pulmonary, cardiology, oncology and endocrinology offices to the virus that we may have been exposed to and may now carry.
On March 10th Wolfgang wrote “Our continued focus should be to conduct business as usual whenever and wherever possible to ensure that our patients and customers receive the medicines they need.” But I ask: at what expense? At the expense of us being exposed and contracting the virus? At the expense of contributing to the problem? At the expense of our own personal safety and our families? We are all likely healthy and will be minimally affected. However, we become carriers and infecting devices that put immunocompromised patients, healthcare providers, community members and our families at risk.
Yesterday, our partner company Eli Lilly pulled their representatives out of the field across the country if they live in zip codes where cases have been confirmed. If they don’t live in an area, they are no longer approved to call on doctors who are in identified areas of concern. They decided to do that because they believe it is unethical to contribute to the problem. They put the patient first by worrying about keeping them safe, not keeping them in samples.
So what say you BI? What will you do now? Because your approach thus far has been self-serving and we feel used, disrespected, and ashamed to be representing this company as we put the mighty dollar before patients’ lives and humanity’s welfare. Perhaps it’s time to walk your talk and value statement “to provide more health and improve the lives of humans.”
