An abundance of irony

One of the largest conferences for health care executives, despite vaccination and testing requirements, is going virtual due to COVID-19 and fears surrounding the omicron variant.

The decision to nix the in-person J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco in January was spurred by cancellations by large companies such as Moderna Inc., maker of one of the three available vaccines to prevent the spread of COVID-19, which pulled out due to safety and travel concerns related to the pandemic, according to multiple news outlets.

Amgen Inc., another large biotech firm, also canceled plans prior to the bank’s shift to an online conference.

Considered one of the largest conferences in the biotech industry and in its 40th year, conference organizers said in emails obtained by CNBC that the decision to go virtual was made “out of an abundance of caution.”