Lesson: Is Your Idea Marketable?
Factors to consider that may help or obstruct marketing (30 min)
Environmental conditions
[ EUPATI Toxicology ]
Pharmaceuticals and unsuitable disposal of pharmaceutical waste can negatively impact public health and result in severe injury, disease or death especially if water becomes contaminated or pollutants released into the air. See also WHO health care waste overview, WHO technical guidance for removal of pharmaceutical products in drinking water and WHO overview on eWaste for technology products. A Dutch company reduced costs and environmental impacts with a chemical leasing initiative.
Table 3.1 details typical infections caused by exposure through water:
Further environmental analysis will be available in an environmental health module in People's Uni being developed in 2017.
Other conditions
Political decisions may affect the development of your idea if the R&D spend on medicines or devices is changed or the way healthcare is funded. The EU 'Brexit' referendum in the UK has considerable impact on medicines and medical devices including the UK potentially becoming a separate regulated market that will require different regulation for approval of a medicine or collaborative partnerships for development.
Economic decisions can affect supply chains and the ability to transport pharmaceutical or technology ingredients, packaging and products which can lead to instability for the development of your idea.
Cultural and religious beliefs may affect buy-in from others into your development process or the idea itself. For example are excipients suitable for vegans, vegetarians, anyone who doesn't eat pork or beef?