UNSTRUCTURED
Although innovation in healthcare is still mainly seen with the emergence of new drugs, therapies, and medical devices by big pharma and MedTech companies, society continues to face concerns and unmet health needs that only users face in their daily life.
Our previous research has shown that users develop novel solutions, from simple adaptations and products to highly technological biomedical devices, and that these innovations significantly improve their quality of life. In this paper, we analyzed novel solutions developed by pediatric patients and their caregivers, published on the global award-winning ‘Patient Innovation’ platform (https://patient-innovation.com/). The focus was the innovator and the novel solution’s characterization, and the consequent entrepreneurship framework. Although the patients’ young profile, they are significant innovative creators (15%). Also, most innovators (57%) do not create a company to bring their solution to the market, probably due to the traditional pediatric innovation industry constrains complemented with the innovator’s main focus – personal patient wellbeing.