Biogen CEO, Michel Vounatsos on going beyond carbon neutral to achieve zero emissions by 2040

🎥 Sep 22, 2020 📺 We Mean Business Coalition ⏱ 2m 👁 206 views

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About Michel Vounatsos

Michel Vounatsos, CEO of Biogen, has been a central figure in discussions around the company's Alzheimer's disease drug aducanumab. Following the FDA's approval of the drug in June 2021, Vounatsos described it as a "historic day" and said it provided "hope finally for the patients and families" after nearly two decades without a new treatment for the disease. He noted that the accelerated approval pathway is a well-established process used by the FDA and stated that the company is committed to continuing to study the product. In earlier appearances, Vounatsos discussed the company's decision to seek FDA approval for the drug after initially discontinuing trials, attributing the reversal to new data showing that a "sufficient and sustained high dose" of the drug could remove amyloid plaques. Vounatsos has also spoken about Biogen's environmental initiatives, announcing a 20-year plan called "Healthy Climate Healthy Lives" with a goal of eliminating fossil fuel emissions by 2040. He stated that "the pharma industry... can't lead in health without reducing our operational impact on the planet" and argued that climate solutions should also promote human health. On drug pricing, Vounatsos has called for the industry to be proactive, suggesting the adoption of innovative contracts that require payers to share risk, and has said Biogen aims to be the "Tesla" of the drug pricing model. He has also expressed a vision for a shift toward personalized medicine and preventative care, and identified neurodegenerative diseases as a priority area for the company.

Source: AI-verified profile updated from Michel Vounatsos's recent appearances. Browse all interviews →

Transcript (1 segments)

Narrator0:00

The pandemic has more people thinking about the way human health depends on a healthy climate. A recent study from Harvard University found that a small increase in exposure to air pollution may lead to more deaths from COVID-19. There is also mounting evidence that links air pollution to a number of health conditions such as respiratory and cardiovascular disease. Sadly, the people who are hurt the most are the most vulnerable among us. Yet over the past several months, people around the world have marveled that clear skies are possible in a surprisingly short time. Now the urgent question is how we can act on these hard-won lessons during the society's great reset. If fossil fuel emissions were eliminated, the average life expectancy may increase by more than one year and could prevent nearly 9 million deaths annually. For the pharma industry, the paradox is that we can't lead in health without reducing our operational impact on the planet. We must re-examine the way we do business, the way we consume energy, and the way we live. For Biogen, this means going beyond carbon neutral to achieve zero fossil fuel emission by 2040. We are proud to launch Healthy Climate, Healthy Lives, a 20-year action plan with a goal to eliminate fossil fuel emission by 2040 and advance the science around how fossil fuels impact human health. As we move forward, I believe we need to adopt climate solutions that also promote human health. Now is the time to advance a shared vision of a more inclusive and sustainable future, one where science meets hope.