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of the summer, the Swecare Foundation, a semi-gov
ernmental nonprofit organization with members representing the entire healthcare spectrum, released a report with the title “How has Swedish life science export been affected by COVID-19?” The report is based on survey responses from 54 member companies collected during April and May 2020. According to the survey, small companies were most affected by the pandemic. Seventy-three percent of the smallest companies reported experiencing solely negative effects due to the pandemic. Reduced sales and customer access, trade barriers and logistical challenges have affected the abilities of companies to export and globalize their business. Travel restrictions, lack of access to capital and limited contact with healthcare decision-makers have made the situation faced by these companies more difficult, the authors of the report stated. “It is clear that sales and, as a result, exports have presented a bigger problem for our member companies than production itself. A smaller customer base has negatively affected sales, with some reporting that the market for their products has completely stalled,” says Maria Helling, CEO of Swecare. NORDIC LIFE SCIENCE 39