Healthcare industry leaders gathering in San Francisco for an annual conference typically discuss dealmaking, bestselling drugs and how to entice their next big investor. This year another topic is foremost on their minds: Staying safe.
The J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference on Monday is the first big industry gathering since the killing last month of UnitedHealthcare Chief Executive Brian Thompson. His death, and subsequent rage directed at insurers and online support for the man charged with Thompson's murder, have put security in the spotlight.
"This is one of the industry's marquee events, so it naturally attracts not just investors and executives, but also opportunistic criminals and organized protest groups," said Brian Stephens, senior managing director of consulting firm Teneo's risk advisory arm and former security executive at Bank of America, who is advising conference attendees. "The conference effectively becomes a citywide affair—that fluidity is great for spontaneous meetings but complicates security measures."
Brent Saunders, chief executive of Bausch & Lomb, will do business as usual at the conference. He always travels with security at the conference and says he has dealt with credible threats for years.
Now, however, Saunders will change some of his behavior. In the past, he would walk a few blocks to his hotel from the conference venue, the Westin St. Francis, at the end of each conference day. His security will likely discourage that, preferring to travel by car, no matter the distance.
"This year I don't think they'd let me walk back," he said. "You're paying for those guys to be there. Let them do their job."
The conference, held in San Francisco's Union Square, is among the premier events in healthcare each year, drawing some 20,000 industry professionals to the city, including many executives.
More than 500 companies, ranging from drugmakers such as Pfizer and wholesalers such as Cencora to dozens of biotechnology companies, are scheduled to give presentations to investors. Scores of parallel events and panels will be held at nearby locations.