Several years ago, S.C. Public Radio interviewed Nephron’s Lou Kennedy about why she decided to move her pharmaceutical manufacturing company from Florida to South Carolina.  It turned out to be a good move as the company has grown significantly since then.  But what has also happened since then, the virus crisis, has brought the company to the forefront of much needed supplies, telehealth, rural broadband, and the anticipated economic recovery.

“Mike Switzer interviews Lou Kennedy, CEO of Nephron Pharmaceuticals in West Columbia, S.C.”

Lou Kennedy on COVID-19: “As you know, it’s a severe respiratory distress virus, and, as such, we are making the meds that are used to treat the symptoms of COVID-19…We typically ship about 85 million doses a month, and during March, we shipped 193 million, and so we were busy.”

Lou Kennedy on Rural Broadband: “I was working on this mission in 2019. After we have seen so many people being aided and assisted by the use of tele-health/tele-medicine amid this crisis, I recognized this is an even more important time for us to being talking about the need for rural broadband. This is truly infrastructure just like roads and bridges…I have been very supportive of what Congressman Clyburn has been saying and doing, and I’ve given my full support for him on broadband.”

Lou Kennedy on Governor McMaster’s Leadership: “I am so very proud of the way Governor McMaster has handled this state, the way that he has done his stay at home order, versus just shutting everything down…I’m very appreciative and I’ve told him how supportive I am.”

Listen to Kennedy’s entire S.C. Public Radio interview here.