Great innovation starts and ends with the patient

Innovation is a process not an outcome, with the roots of true innovation stemming from a desire to change the status quo for the better, said Mark Blumenkranz MD, MMS, who delivered the Kreissig Lecture at the 13th EURETINA Congress.

In a wide-ranging review of the principles of innovation and how they can be applied in the field of retinal research, Dr Blumenkranz said that the celebrated “eureka” moment is only the initial step in a long journey to effect real change.

“Innovation is really the systematic search for solutions to unsolved problems and unmet needs that are also practical and affordable. Creativity alone is not enough. Successful innovation requires discipline and the ability to think both inside and outside the box equally well. It requires iteration and constant feedback not simply inspiration or momentary genius. This is intrinsically difficult because it asks us to break out of our zone of comfort and do things differently,” he said.

In biomedical innovation every great innovation starts and ends with the patient and an unmet need, said Dr Blumenkranz. “The roots of innovation really stem from a desire to change the status quo for the better. However, this may well be viewed as an undesirable, and at times subversive activity. It requires a willingness to move away from conventional wisdom and reach outside one’s comfort zone. It may consist of asking questions or engaging in actions viewed as provocative,” he said.

An idea must be practical and commercially viable enough to successfully replace existing methods, said Dr Blumenkranz, noting that many obstacles such as habits, fear and cost exist to limit the diffusion of new technology.

This early gap in the diffusion of innovation over time was termed the “chasm” by Geoffrey A Moore, who said that crossing the chasm can be both difficult and dangerous.

The pharmaceutical industry, academia and clinicians make up the traditional innovation ecosystem for biomedical science, said Dr Blumenkranz, who said that the boundaries and capabilities of the biomedical research enterprise and delivery system are increasingly blurred and shifting.

* A full report of Dr Blumenkranz’s lecture will appear in a future edition of EuroTimes.