NextBillion - An Initiative of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan

Tuesday, September 1, 2015

The challenges of developing and scaling up health innovations go beyond research. They need careful consideration.

Previously known as the Global Forum for Health Research, the Global Forum for Research and Innovation for Health, held last week in the Philippines, has been freshly rebranded to reflect the distinction between research and the development of innovation as a product or service.

This new title also acknowledges that health research is not the only research that affects health. Health outcomes are determined by a complex web of social, environmental and governance issues. A new multidisciplinary, cross-sectoral approach to research was referenced explicitly throughout the conference — often as a salutary example of the kind of collaboration that can help translate research into innovation.

There was another well-recognised aspect of good innovation practice shaping the new-look Forum: the notion of involving the "end user" early on.