A Consideration of User Innovation for Medical Field

A Consideration of User Innovation for Medical Field

      It is certain that the next promising way for the medical industry is precision medicine1). No matter how much the field may be a lucrative business target, drug developments are dramatically changing from the traditional way; the marketing target of blockbuster drugs such as diabetes and hypertension will not be possible for near foreseeable future. At present, we require some approaches to treatments for rare diseases to save the patients who are calling for effective drugs, thus the market will be a battlefield for drug makers instead of blockbuster markets. However, the field for development of orphan drugs is extremely difficult. One of the reasons is that the market is very small for a few patients for rare disease where the business will be unprofitable. In reality, it was cruel to develop new drugs on the assumption of the cutting edge of science and technology, thus the subsidy for R&D is essential for developers to invest huge amounts of money with initiative. Similarly, the development approach of precision medicine needs personal treatments on an individual basis, on the contrary the market would be divided into various smaller parts. Therefore, the new way for drug marketing target of precision medicine is complicated for various procedures, processes and phases between R&D and post market to take measures against a lot of responses for seriously drugs problems such as an efficiency, side effects and stable supplies of drug products.

      In general, there is a critical process in research and development; “Product design”. According to some people2), it is the origin for profit. On the other hand, the important point in the medical field is safety and quality of products, equally product design is a very critical process to overcome great hardships for the application of medical treatments because there are many clinical hurdles in the R&D stage. In my opinion, the trial and the build of the prototype is insufficient in the medical industry, then, the question arises whether the perspective to put emphasis on “product design” applies to medical industry or not.

      Recently, the unique movement is “Human Factor”3) that is an approach for user interface in medical devices. For the concept of Human Factor, FDA emphasis the safety and effectiveness of medical devices for users in the point of user interface. The goal is to maximize efficiency of devices and user satisfaction.

      Now, I consider a possibility of User Innovation for the next medical development by taking in account of Human factor. I formerly mentioned the bio-networks strategy4) for the medical industry. It will promote the digitalization network in medical field. In general, the digitalization can connect developers and customers, as a result, there will be new “integration” among them. Thus, the bio-networks will create new connections between patients, healthcare professions and developers. Moreover, it will allow new access for various creators who will struggle to enter the medical field. The new integration will give developers information of user needs for medical treatment through bio-networks system, then, they will produce new service for medical demands. The new ecosystem with various players will enforce a user innovation to build “product design” in medical field. In the end, it will promote the user interface to integrate various medical treatments for precision medicine.

Ref.

1) Precision medicine: http://www.fda.gov/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/PrecisionMedicine/default.htm

2) トヨタが知っている「利益の生み方」一番お金をかけているのはここ: http://gendai.ismedia.jp/articles/-/49536

3) Applying Human Factors and Usability Engineering to Medical Devices: http://www.fda.gov/downloads/MedicalDevices/.../UCM259760.pdf

4) Bio-networks Strategy: https://nmtbaron.amebaownd.com/