Make Your Medical Product Ideas Come to Life: Inventor’s Syndrome

Can you diagnose these symptoms? The subject has conceived of a novel medical innovation that he believes is so important it will soon become a staple device in every hospital and clinic. He thinks its features and benefits solve an important problem facing physicians and their patients. However, our subject inventor has never queried anyone beyond himself and a few of his physician friends. Obviously, no disease or injury was described here, so I think I can handle the diagnosis: Inventor’s syndrome.

This condition afflicts numerous creative individuals. It presents itself as a belief that one’s invention has a definite and immediate market, and that sales are just a matter of letting the world know that this new device exists. The good news is that it’s treatable. Here’s the standard of care I recommend.

For any given innovation, there will be a number of user interest or buying parameters—in other words, those elements that affect the customer’s use and buying decision. For example, price is a consideration. So is efficacy: Does the product reliably do what the user requires? Is it faster? More accurate? Does it save time? Is it less painful and therefore of more interest to patients? Does have to be kept frozen? Is reusable? Do customers prefer it be disposable? If it is reusable, is it easily cleaned? Is it easily ordered and quickly shipped? Does that even matter to the customer? Does the problem allegedly solved by this new product exist at all?
...