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PubMedDate not supplied

Medical technology transfer: the inventor's perspective.

Technology transfer can be a difficult and frustrating experience for an inventor, one with a questionable outcome despite tremendous effort. A university-based inventor may find that there is a "technology transfer office" at his or her institution, but that it is poorly equipped to patent and license inventions. In such a case, the inventor may have to play a particularly active role in the patenting process and, especially, the marketing process. Furthermore, university-based inventors may find themselves caught up in issues of academic freedom and potential conflicts of interests. There are often no role models for entrepreneurial activity at a university, and as a result many inventors have had to leave their university positions to pursue financial gain from their inventions. When licensing inventions to companies, the "NIH syndrome" can be extremely frustrating. It is often difficult for the inventor to communicate his or her certain knowledge that the invention solves a specific problem perfectly. Also, an inventor may find that even if a company is interested and wishes to license the invention it may ultimately have little or no competence in the subject area and, as a result, the invention never finds its way to commercial production. Nonetheless, the rewards can be well worth the effort. If a successful license is reached and the device goes into production, there may be substantial personal financial reward for the inventor. If the university's patent policy is enlightened, a portion of the royalty income may support ongoing and future activities in the inventor's research laboratory.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Medical Laboratory Science↗
PubMed2006

Predicting commercial success for Australian medical inventions patented in the United States: a cross sectional survey of Australian inventors.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the commercial development of Australian medical patents and identify the determinants of their being used in innovations (new or improved products or production processes). DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey with a nested case-control study. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: 177 inventors listed as the first Australian on medical patents granted in the United States between 1 January 1984 and 30 December 1994, and surveyed in 1998-1999. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: A series of predictor variables (including characteristics of the patents; characteristics of the inventors; ideas, advice and funding during commercialisation; and the process of commercialisation) for whether or not a patent became an innovation. RESULTS: Half (89/177) of the medical patents became innovations, with 34% generating a total of A $287 million (13% over $1 million) in annual sales a median of 8 years after the patent had been granted. A patent was more likely to become an innovation if the inventor was employed by industry at the time of invention (odds ratio [OR], 3.2; 95% CI, 1.1-9.2), had invested their own finances (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.0-7.4), and if the patent had been licensed (OR, 4.6; 95% CI 1.7-12.7), led to further patents (OR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.0-10.4) and involved an industry partner in its commercial development (OR, 10.1; 95% CI, 3.6-27.7). It was less likely to become an innovation if finance came from a research funding agency (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.1-0.8) and if interest from Australian industry was judged by inventors as "poor" (OR, 0.6; 95% CI, 0.4-0.9). CONCLUSIONS: Medical patents in the US listing Australian inventors are more likely to become innovations if they originate from industry rather than the public sector, and if inventors are willing to invest their own finances.

Australia↗
PubMed2004

A tribute to Charles David Kelman MD: ophthalmologist, inventor and pioneer of phacoemulsification surgery.

Charles David Kelman was born in Brooklyn, New York, USA, on 23 May 1930 and passed away in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, on 1 June 2004 at the age of 74 years after a long battle with cancer. He received a Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts University in 1950 and completed medical studies at the University of Geneva, Switzerland, in 1956. He was Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology at New York Medical College and an Attending Surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary and Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. Although a prolific inventor, he will be best remembered for developing phacoemulsification, following his realization while sitting in a dentist's chair, that ultrasonic vibrations could be used to emulsify the aged crystalline lens through a very small incision. His pioneering work revolutionized cataract surgery. He also pioneered cryo-extraction of cataracts, the use of freezing for the repair of retinal detachments and designed numerous ophthalmic instruments and intraocular lenses. Dr Kelman received numerous awards, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology Achievement Award (1970), the Ridley Medal from the International Congress of Ophthalmology (1990), and the Inventor of the Year Award from The New York Patent, Trademark and Copyright Law Association (1992). Most recently (2003), Dr Kelman was honoured by the American Academy of Ophthalmology with the Laureate Recognition award. Dr Kelman was also an accomplished Broadway producer, composer and jazz saxophonist. With his demise, the ophthalmic and medical community lost a famed inventor with multifaceted talents and one of the great ophthalmologists of the twentieth century.

History, 20th Century↗
PubMed2004

Ralph L. Huber, DMD: forgotten inventor of the "Tuohy" needle.

The hypodermic needle popularized by Edward Tuohy, MD for use in his method of continuous spinal anesthesia has been incorrectly called the "Tuohy needle" since he first popularized it in 1945. It was recently determined that Ralph L. Huber, a Seattle dentist, was the inventor of this widely used needle. However, very little is known about Huber. There is no mention of him in the medical literature, and until recently, he was forgotten. Through the location of various primary sources, including the original needle point invented by Dr. Huber, this essay introduces the fascinating life of Dr. Huber, and also his personal notes about his inventions. Not only was he a prominent Seattle dentist, but also a prolific inventor.

Anesthesia↗
PubMed2005

The syringe driver and the subcutaneous route in palliative care: the inventor, the history and the implications.

Since the early 1980s, the syringe driver has become a commonly used technology in British palliative care, used to administer continuous subcutaneous infusions (CSCI) for symptom management. Although the device itself has not been adopted universally, it has stimulated interest in the use of CSCI in palliative care and played a significant role in the modern history of this approach. This historical case study of the syringe driver examines the life and work of its inventor, explores its development for use in childhood thalassemia, and analyzes the circumstances surrounding its adoption in palliative care. We conclude by considering the reasons for the continued popularity of the syringe driver, despite problems in its use, and reflect on the lessons which can be learned about the use of CSCI in palliative care internationally.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1990

[Erich Zeiss (1894-1975)--the first inventor of non-contact tonometry].

The first inventor of non-contact tonometry was the German ophthalmologist Erich Zeiss, grandson of Carl Zeiss. In 1951 he designed a "pneumatic" tonometer or "aerotonometer". A patent application was prepared but, regrettably, never sent to the Patent Office. This article pays tribute to Zeiss' achievements as a designer of ophthalmologic instruments.

Germany↗
PubMed2007

[Leo Sternbach, an inventor of benzodiazepines].

A biography of Leo Sternbach, an inventor of benzodiazepine tranquillizers, is presented. It consists of (1) a societal desire for lifestyle pills, (2) Leo's birth in 1908 and youth, (3) education, (4) in Vienna, (5) in Zurich, (6) at Hoffmann-La Roche, Basel, (7) to the New World, (8) at Roche, Nutley NJ, (9) invention of the new drugs, (10) revolution of people's lifestyle, and (11) reward, retirement and obituary in 2005. This paper may be the first comprehensive biography of this remarkable chemist written in Japanese.

Anti-Anxiety Agents↗
PubMed2004

W. James Gardner: pioneer neurosurgeon and inventor.

W. James Gardner, a skillful neurosurgeon and inventor, is best remembered for his cervical tongs and hydrodynamic theory of syringomyelia. A pioneer of modern neurosurgery, Gardner trained under Charles Frazier in Philadelphia, and in 1929 he moved to Ohio where he became chief of neurosurgery at the Cleveland Clinic, a position he was to hold for the next 33 years. A large surgical practice made it imperative for Gardner to develop surgical methods that were quick, effective, and advantageous for patient and surgeon. He was an early proponent of the sitting position for patients undergoing cranial surgery, which led to the development of a neurosurgical chair with a head fixation device. To reduce the risks of hypotension and air embolism when the patient is in the sitting position, Gardner invented the clinical G suit. He was the first to advocate and use induced arterial hypotension for intracranial surgery and the first neurosurgeon in the US to publish his experiences performing lumbar discography. He converted an operating table so that he could induce hypothermia during aneurysm surgery and then applied pneumatic cuffs to occlude the major arterial supply to the brain. His pioneering work has been documented in many other areas such as hemifacial spasm and trigeminal neuralgia, for which he performed the first vascular decompression, in cervical sympathectomy for treatment of various ailments, and in the use of intrathecally delivered steroid drugs for sciatica. During his career, he authored 256 publications and one book on the dysraphic states. Many of his contributions to the discipline of neurosurgery are now taken for granted.

Craniotomy↗
PubMed2002

Willem Einthoven--inventor of electrocardiography.

Willem Einthoven, the inventor of the string galvanometer electrocardiograph, was born in the Dutch East Indies, studied medicine in Utrecht Holland, and became chairman of the Department of Physiology at the University of Leiden. In 1924 he was awarded the Nobel Price for physiology and medicine. Einthoven became interested in electrophysiology after Waller's demonstration of the human electrogram using Lippmann's capillary electrometer. Because of important limitations of this device, Einthoven decided to construct the string galvanometer to be used for physiological research and in clinical medicine. Einthoven's main achievements in electrophysiology were the description of the normal ECG, some physiological effects on the ECG, the three ECG leads and the triangle rule. In 1906 in cooperation with the university hospital, Einthoven demonstrated the clinical usefulness of the electrocardiograph.

Electrocardiography↗
PubMed2005

Vivian Richard Ebsary, A.M. biomedical engineer, inventor, philanthropist.

Vivian Ebsary was an inventor, designer and manufacturer of varied pieces of medical equipment, particularly those involving pumps. These included hypothermia machines and the heart-lung cardiopulmonary bypass machines used in Australian and New Zealand hospitals from the mid 1950s until well into the 1970s. Ebsary also designed and manufactured anaesthetic machines, a hyperbaric unit, scoliosis implant equipment, a chairlift and many other devices for use in the general community. This paper presents an overview of his life's involvement with medicine and medical technology in Australia.

Anesthesia, General↗
PubMed1992

Inventors of DRGs look at PPS now. Interview by Marybeth Burke.

The inventors of diagnosis-related groups talk about what's happened to their invention, both in the U.S. and abroad. DRGs were used as the basis for Medicare's prospective payment system, but John D. Thompson and Robert B. Fetter, winners of the 1992 Baxter Foundation Prize for Health Services Research, say things haven't turned out exactly as they'd expected.

Awards and Prizes↗
PubMed2005

Lytle S. Adams, DDS (1883-1970): Nonstop Airmail Pick-up inventor.

Between 1923 and 1940, a restless, optimistic, self-styled, inventor, Lytle S. Adams, DDS (1883-1970) was tirelessly working to develop a nonstop, airmail delivery and pick-up system. He believed that his invention would enable air postal services to serve those smaller, more isolated communities that would otherwise be bypassed due to economic and operational reasons. For 17 years, Adams vigorously promoted his pick-up system in both public and private arenas, and he even obtained congressional support for his ideas. However, he was unable to arrange for long-term, hardheaded financial and engineering support. Consequently, the once promising Adams Nonstop Airmail Pick-up System had only temporary and limited success. His endeavor, like others which came before and after, initially appeared to be a sound idea in search of inspired realization.

Aviation↗