COVID-19 actions & contributions

We are using our expertise, resources and global reach to contribute to research efforts and support with much needed medical supplies.

Helping in the fight

As new issues continue to develop, we are working with health authorities and international bodies responding to the COVID-19 pandemic to see how we can make meaningful contributions.

Our efforts to support communities are on-going, and we will update this page with new initiatives. Below we have listed some of the actions currently taking place.

Our actions & contributions

  • UK
    Together with NHS England and Diabetes UK, we are collaborating with industry peers to support The NHS Diabetes Advice Helpline. The helpline will support people living with diabetes and their families during the COVID-19 outbreak. Adults living with diabetes who use insulin to manage their condition, can get immediate advice from a team of volunteer diabetes clinical advisors. Read the press release
    (updated 20 May)
  • France
    Nationwide, we are supporting orgainsations with DKK 3.7 million (approximately USD 540,000) to help people who are severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are supporting the National Food Bank Federation to help immediate and longer-term food delivery for vulnerable people. The Federation is made up of 5000 associations supporting 2 million people across France. For people living with diabetes and obesity, we are working with the National Diabetes Patient Federation to help provide better access to medical care, follow-up consolations, diagnostics as well as towards efforts to prevent diabetes and obesity.
    (updated 21 April)
  • USA
    For people living with diabetes experiencing financial hardship due to COVID-19, we offer a free 90-day insulin supply to provide support during the pandemic. 
    (updated 15 April)
  • Italy
    We have given an unconditional contribution to Senior Italy FederAnziani, the largest federation for senior citizens, to establish a national toll-free number to provide psychological support and a listening to senior citizens isolated in their homes. The contribution also goes to support the public awareness campaign: Seniors & Coronavirus: rules against contagion from fake news and scams. 
    (updated 1 April)

  • Global
    As part of our COVID-19 humanitarian support, we are providing insulin, haemophilia and growth hormone products to Direct Relief to support people most at risk in the pandemic.
    (updated 27 April)

  • India
    To support the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for COVID-19, and the police force, our local offices donated insulin vials, masks and hand sanitiser valued at DKK 1 million (approximately USD 145,000). Additionally, employees at our Global Business Service centre in Bangalore collected DKK 300,000 (approximately USD 43,000) for the Prime Minister’s Fund for COVID-19.
    (updated 23 April)
  • Humanitarian settings
    Those humanitarian organisations which we typically provide with insulin will receive this free of charge and without shipping costs through September 2020 to enable them to maintain their normal operations and uphold their capacity to provide chronic care to patients. In addition, we are providing monetary donations to the appeals of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Danish Red Cross (DRC).
    (updated 16 April)
  • USA
    We are committing USD 500,000 (DKK 3.4 mil approx.) to national relief organisations as well as to New York City, New Jersey and Philadelphia relief efforts. Additionally, we are supporting emergency assistance requests from our patient and advocacy organizations and our local communities to address basic needs of individuals and families. Read the press release 
    (updated 3 April)
  • Tunisia
    Employees and our local office jointly donated DKK 56,800 (USD 8,500 approx.) to the National Fund to Fight Against Corona-virus created by the Tunisian Ministry of Finance. Additionally, they have been providing daily meals for the staff and volunteers at the Emergency Medical Aid Care staff in Tunis.
    (updated 23 March)
  • China
    To help people in areas severely impacted by COVID-19, we have donated more than DKK 3 million (USD 475,000 approx.) to the Red Cross Society of China to support the fight against the COVID-19 outbreak.
    (updated February)

  • Denmark 
    Testing is a critical aspect of global efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. From March to June 2020, we dedicating one of our laboratories in Måløv outside Copenhagen to support this task. Employees from Novo Nordisk research department volunteered to contribute to the fight against COVID-19 and together with staff from the Danish health service, they helped to increase the testing capacity in Denmark. At the end of June, we transferred equipment and know-how to The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) who now assist the Danish authorities. We continue to offer our expertise and help with the manufacture of components needed for the virus tests if this should be necessary in maintaining the country's test capacity.
    (updated 1 July)  
  • Denmark
    We are supporting COVID-19 and antibody testing in Denmark as part of the Danish government’s reopening strategy. The Novo Nordisk Foundation has awarded up to DKK 250 million (approximately USD 36.4 million) to establish a new Danish national test center with Statens Serum Institut (SSI) and Novo Nordisk. It has been built and prepared for operation in less than one month with the capacity to ramp up testing significantly and Novo Nordisk is contributing with expertise, technology and personnel. Read the press release and Watch the video
    (updated 29 April)
  • Brazil
    We have donated equipment from our production site to enable Montes Claros University to perform COVID-19 testing using Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction.
    (updated 6 April)
  • Brazil
    Our production site in Montes Claros is purchasing 50.000 kits for COVID-19 testing for the Municipal Health Department.
    (updated 31 March)
  • United Kingdom
    Our Research Centre in Oxford is lending out laboratory equipment to the NHS to support COVID-19 testing.
    (updated 25 March)

  • Russia
    We have donated DKK 851,452 (approximately USD 123,167) towards the purchase of medical masks & gloves, protective suits and surgical shoe covers to safeguard doctors and nurses, as well as people living with diabetes, from COVID-19 infection. The protective equipment will be used by COVID-19 diagnostic centres and hospitals in Moscow and St. Petersburg, as well as in 14 regions such as Ryazan, Vladimir, Bryansk, Moscow, Komi, Karachay-Circassian, Samara, Kostroma, Lipetsk, Ivanovo, Penza, Stavropol, Orenburg and Voronezh Regions. Also, our donation covers medicinal products to Moscow’s National Medical Endocrinology Research Center aimed for treating patients with COVID-19 and COVID-19 tests for medical staff.
    (updated 13 August)
  • Denmark
    Since the first donation of 20 tonnes of ethanol in March, Novo Nordisk has now donated additional 450 tonnes of ethanol from our production facility in Kalundborg which will be manufactured into about 525,000 liter hand sanitiser. The hand sanitiser will be available to the regions and the Danish healthcare system as well as other critical functions in society.
    (updated 13 May)
  • France
    To prepare the country to reopen, we are partnering with Johnson & Johnson and Nouveal E-Health to help healthcare professionals meet with their patients remotely. The solution, COVIDOM, already serves 60,000 patients, 20,000 healthcare professionals and has now been expanded to primary care.
    (updated 30 April) 
  • Japan
    We donated 1,920 industrial masks and 122 antivirus sets to the Japan Business Federation to support measures taken to counter COVID-19 infection. Additionally, we have donated ¥ 3 million (approximately USD 28,000) to one of the largest web media outlets for healthcare professionals, M3, Inc to support the distribution of protective masks to medical institutions for free.
    (updated 30 April)  
  • Portugal
    We have donated 1000 surgical masks and 2000 gloves to Lisbon City Hall to support a medicines and essential goods home delivery programme for the elderly and chronic disease patients.
    (updated 8 April)
  • Portugal
    We have donated 500 FFP2 (Filtering Face Piece level 2) protective masks and 2500 surgical masks to the Portuguese National Association for Diabetic Patients. 
    (updated 7 April)
  • Saudi Arabia
    We supported the medication home delivery project of King Faisal hospital with four freezers to increase their storage capacity for ice packs used during insulin transfer. 
    (updated 2 April)
  • Italy
    To help the fight against COVID-19, our employees collected 20,000 euros and our affiliate matched this collection for a total donation of 40.000 euro to Protezione Civile, the Italian authorities coordinating civil protection policies. 
    (updated 1 April)
  • Brazil
    Our production site in Montes Clarosl has donated 1.300 litres of alcohol (70%) and 305 litres of gel alcohol to the local Municipal Health Department for making hand and hospital equipment sanitiser.
    (updated 31 March)
  • Tunisia
    We have donated more than 1000 sets of protective masks, protective gloves, hand sanitizers and surgical overcoats to the five main hospitals of the five most affected regions in the country.
    (updated 30 March)
  • Turkey
    We have made an emergency donation to Turkish University Hospital and Okmeydani Training and Research Hospital to provide COVID-19 protective kits.
    (updated 27 March)
  • Denmark
    We have furthermore donated 2,000 protective masks to the health authorities in Southern Denmark where the need is most pressing.
    (updated 24 March)
  • China
    We have donated medical supplies, including masks, disinfectant and protective screens, to addresses shortages in hospitals and amongst doctors throughout the country.
    (updated 8 February)  

  • Portugal
    We have donated 2000 FFP2 (Filtering Face Piece level 2) and 3000 surgical masks to NHS hospitals across the country where the need is most pressing. 
    (updated 8 April)
  • Denmark
    We have shipped more than 1500 protective glasses, as well as protective equipment, such as suits, gloves, mouth pieces and plastic aprons, to regional health authorities across Denmark to be used by medical staff in local hospitals.
    (updated 6 April)
  • Israel
    We have made a monetary donation to Israeli Hospital to allow the purchasing of personal protection equipment for the medical staff during the COVID-19 pandemic.
    (updated 1 April)
  • Italy
    We have made emergency donations to hospitals across the country to help their efforts to treat and prevent the spread of COVID-19. 
    (updated 1 April)
  • Brazil
    We have provided a donation for hospital supplies and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for the Montes Claros Municipal Health Department. Additionally, we are using 3D printers at our production site in Montes Claros to make protective masks for hospitals. 
    (updated 31 March)
  • Croatia
    We have provided an emergency donation to OB Karlovac Hospital for the purchase of an intensive care unit ventilator.
    (updated 24 March)
  • Greece
    We have provided an emergency donation to Greek Public Hospital for the purchase of an intensive care unit ventilator.
    (updated 24 March)
  • Lebanon
    We have donated for the purchase of 100 hospital bed mattresses to Rafik Hairi University Hospital.
    (updated 24 March)