During Donald Trump’s tenure as President of the United States, the American Biotechnology Organization, BIO, whose vice chairman is former Teva CEO Jeremy Levin, made no secret of his views on the president’s policies.
From time to time, when the President touched on health-related issues, the organization issued a letter of condemnation. Such letters may not sound like a very biting tool of protest, but the support of a huge industry like the American pharmaceutical industry was very significant to the American president, especially during the Corona peak period.
Also, as the election approached, the leaders of the pharmaceutical industry remembered on which side of the political map they found themselves on various significant issues to the world of health, and this was reflected in both donations and votes.
It now turns out that the Bio organization is not content with influencing domestic politics in the US. The Bio organization issued a letter over the weekend signed by dozens of industry executives. The letter calls on members of the bio industry and other industries to sever business ties with Russia.
“We, senior figures in the life sciences industry, are shocked by the unprovoked war that Russia started against its neighbor Ukraine,” it read. “This barbaric act will lead to the loss of life, the trauma of millions and the loss of a place of residence for a civil society in a country that has repeatedly stressed its face for peace. In short, it is a criminal move by Russia, affecting the whole world.
“We condemn the actions of Russian President Putin and the failure of those who allow him to do so, and that includes the heads of Russian industries who support and stand by him. We urge them to work together to steer Russia to peace. We must act to make Russia’s disgust clear. Business ties must be completely and completely severed. ”
The signatories to the letter promise to immediately stop investing in Russia and receive investments from Russia, stop service agreements with Russian companies, stop trading with Russia except for food and medicine, “and continue to do so until peace returns to independent Ukraine.”
The organization also calls on software, social media, IT, agriculture, law, minerals and financial services companies to take similar steps.
“Let us not ask ourselves in the future if we could have done more. We salute the heroic Russians who oppose their government at home, and hope that this protest will grow. We stand by our colleagues, friends and families in Ukraine who are fighting against the heroically invading army. You are not alone.”