No pharmaceutical industry blackout

Pharmaceutical companies maintained "critical" business operations during a blackout affecting parts of the Northeast and Midwest on Aug. 14 and 15. Pfizer said it implemented its "snow day" plan, meaning only "critical users" reported to the company's R&D headquarters in Groton, Conn. and an Ann Arbor, Mich. facility. Diesel generators supplied power to both facilities, keeping critical manufacturing and "temperature specific" experiments operational. Pfizer's Manhattan headquarters was closed Aug. 15. Novartis and Roche, both with U.S. operations headquartered in New Jersey, said R&D and manufacturing maintained "full capacity" both days. Merck and Schering-Plough both said their New Jersey facilities were not affected by the power outages...