This Synopsis summarises the key themes outlined in our recent healthcare Spotlight report. To navigate directly to this report’s executive summary you can click here.
Over the last two months, Third Bridge Forum has conducted over 225 interviews with key opinion leaders and domain experts across all regions and sectors, including over 50 on the global healthcare industry, to answer investors’ most pressing questions on this complex, fluid situation.
While it’s difficult to fully know how well-prepared hospital supply chains are to deal with the pandemic, our healthcare experts suggest that we will see a shortage of necessary medical supplies and personnel. These healthcare specialists have asserted in Forum Interviews that the availability of hospital beds, physicians and safety equipment is a significant challenge in the fight against this new pathogen.
In terms of therapeutic solutions, we have identified those antiviral drugs being repurposed to treat coronavirus. We also focused on the vaccine pipeline and challenges to development, including possible alternatives. Strains on the larger trial and approval pipeline have also been highlighted, given global supply chain impacts and anticipated reallocation of resources.
Forum has extensively explored which diagnostic testing approaches can detect COVID-19 and be distributed promptly. Our specialists have analysed the benefits and challenges in diagnosing with single versus multiplex assays and compared traditional kits with novel solutions.
Supply chain impacts have been a running theme throughout our healthcare Interviews on COVID-19. With respect to the active pharmaceutical ingredient pipeline, our specialists estimate that most manufacturers had an average stock of around six months at the start of the crisis, but our Spotlight report discusses the considerable amount of time for manufacturers to backfill on that inventory.
We see similar challenges in the medical supply system; our specialists believe that it will take eight to 12 months for the healthcare supply chain to return to normal once factories reopen, with more disruption expected than was the case with the either the SARS or Ebola outbreaks. In the meantime, they anticipate potential “overkill” of higher-end products due to a shortage of qualified laboratory personnel.
Click here to access the executive summary of our comprehensive Sector Spotlight: COVID-19 – implications for the global healthcare ecosystem report.
The information used in compiling this document has been obtained by Third Bridge from experts participating in Forum Interviews. Third Bridge does not warrant the accuracy of the information and has not independently verified it. It should not be regarded as a trade recommendation or form the basis of any investment decision.
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