did you ever want to develop a product that really changes the world if it was
that really changes the world if it was
that really changes the world if it was an app it would take you on average
an app it would take you on average
an app it would take you on average $200,000 and one year of work and your
$200,000 and one year of work and your
$200,000 and one year of work and your odds of being financially successful
odds of being financially successful
odds of being financially successful would be around one in 10,000 so do you
would be around one in 10,000 so do you
would be around one in 10,000 so do you think this is hard well if you were in
think this is hard well if you were in
think this is hard well if you were in my field developing new medicines your
my field developing new medicines your
my field developing new medicines your odds would be very similar one in 10,000
odds would be very similar one in 10,000
odds would be very similar one in 10,000 but the major difference would be you
but the major difference would be you
but the major difference would be you would need to spend ten years of work
would need to spend ten years of work
would need to spend ten years of work and on average 2.6 billion dollars so
and on average 2.6 billion dollars so
and on average 2.6 billion dollars so and that shows you that innovation in
and that shows you that innovation in
and that shows you that innovation in medicine is fundamentally different from
medicine is fundamentally different from
medicine is fundamentally different from innovation in information technology you
innovation in information technology you
innovation in information technology you need to spend 10 times the amount of
need to spend 10 times the amount of
need to spend 10 times the amount of work and you need to spend 10,000 times
work and you need to spend 10,000 times
work and you need to spend 10,000 times the amount of money to develop a new
the amount of money to develop a new
the amount of money to develop a new medicine but I personally people will
medicine but I personally people will
medicine but I personally people will know me I’m not really that much
know me I’m not really that much
know me I’m not really that much interested in money but what interests
interested in money but what interests
interested in money but what interests me is what kind of impact we can
me is what kind of impact we can
me is what kind of impact we can generate by using this kind of money and
generate by using this kind of money and
generate by using this kind of money and in order to have an idea in order to
in order to have an idea in order to
in order to have an idea in order to quantify what impact in medicine
quantify what impact in medicine
quantify what impact in medicine actually means I came up with the
actually means I came up with the
actually means I came up with the concept a concept of impact level impact
concept a concept of impact level impact
concept a concept of impact level impact level is the order of magnitude of human
level is the order of magnitude of human
level is the order of magnitude of human lives improved this sounds very
lives improved this sounds very
lives improved this sounds very complicated but it’s actually very
complicated but it’s actually very
complicated but it’s actually very simple so I’m going to tell you what it
simple so I’m going to tell you what it
simple so I’m going to tell you what it is an example 10 to the power of one is
is an example 10 to the power of one is
is an example 10 to the power of one is 10 so if you improve the life of 10
10 so if you improve the life of 10
10 so if you improve the life of 10 people then this would be impact level 1
people then this would be impact level 1
people then this would be impact level 1 and improving the life I know I don’t
and improving the life I know I don’t
and improving the life I know I don’t just mean making them feel a little
just mean making them feel a little
just mean making them feel a little better I mean really saving lives or
better I mean really saving lives or
better I mean really saving lives or significantly extending the healthy
significantly extending the healthy
significantly extending the healthy lifespan of a human and you can take
lifespan of a human and you can take
lifespan of a human and you can take this to the next level 10 to the power
this to the next level 10 to the power
this to the next level 10 to the power of 2 would be hundred or hundreds of
of 2 would be hundred or hundreds of
of 2 would be hundred or hundreds of people which would be impact level 2 and
people which would be impact level 2 and
people which would be impact level 2 and so on impact level 3 it’s thousands of
so on impact level 3 it’s thousands of
so on impact level 3 it’s thousands of people you would help and so on and so
people you would help and so on and so
people you would help and so on and so on
on
on and so on and as soon as we come to
and so on and as soon as we come to
and so on and as soon as we come to impact level six and this is what I
impact level six and this is what I
impact level six and this is what I would call a truly a high-impact
would call a truly a high-impact
would call a truly a high-impact medicine because it cures millions of
medicine because it cures millions of
medicine because it cures millions of people and that I consider to be a major
people and that I consider to be a major
people and that I consider to be a major impact and a major contribution to
impact and a major contribution to
impact and a major contribution to society and of course what we were all
society and of course what we were all
society and of course what we were all want is ultimately we want to help the
want is ultimately we want to help the
want is ultimately we want to help the people of the world to improve people’s
people of the world to improve people’s
people of the world to improve people’s lives and to save lives in the order of
lives and to save lives in the order of
lives and to save lives in the order of magnitude of billions and this would be
magnitude of billions and this would be
magnitude of billions and this would be impact level nine now let me tell you a
impact level nine now let me tell you a
impact level nine now let me tell you a little story about the first modern
little story about the first modern
little story about the first modern medicine that actually reached impact
medicine that actually reached impact
medicine that actually reached impact level nine imagine it’s 1928 you are a
level nine imagine it’s 1928 you are a
level nine imagine it’s 1928 you are a Scottish microbiologist in London hard
Scottish microbiologist in London hard
Scottish microbiologist in London hard to imagine nowadays and you’re trying to
to imagine nowadays and you’re trying to
to imagine nowadays and you’re trying to work on Staphylococcus bacteria
work on Staphylococcus bacteria
work on Staphylococcus bacteria Staphylococcus bacteria at the time were
Staphylococcus bacteria at the time were
Staphylococcus bacteria at the time were very dangerous pathogens so people that
very dangerous pathogens so people that
very dangerous pathogens so people that got wound infections with the
got wound infections with the
got wound infections with the Staphylococcus in many cases they would
Staphylococcus in many cases they would
Staphylococcus in many cases they would die of the infection because there’s no
die of the infection because there’s no
die of the infection because there’s no cure at all but you’re working with this
cure at all but you’re working with this
cure at all but you’re working with this with this pathogen and it’s just before
with this pathogen and it’s just before
with this pathogen and it’s just before your summer holidays and what you do is
your summer holidays and what you do is
your summer holidays and what you do is you take one of these typical petri
you take one of these typical petri
you take one of these typical petri dishes with agar in it and you put some
dishes with agar in it and you put some
dishes with agar in it and you put some of the bacteria on top so that when you
of the bacteria on top so that when you
of the bacteria on top so that when you return from your holidays the bacteria
return from your holidays the bacteria
return from your holidays the bacteria would have grown nicely and you can use
would have grown nicely and you can use
would have grown nicely and you can use them for an experiment and so you go on
them for an experiment and so you go on
them for an experiment and so you go on holiday and then you come back from the
holiday and then you come back from the
holiday and then you come back from the Scottish Highlands fully energized and
Scottish Highlands fully energized and
Scottish Highlands fully energized and you look at your culture and this is
you look at your culture and this is
you look at your culture and this is what you see Oh green fluffy mold has
what you see Oh green fluffy mold has
what you see Oh green fluffy mold has spoiled your bacterial culture really
spoiled your bacterial culture really
spoiled your bacterial culture really disgusting so what would the average
disgusting so what would the average
disgusting so what would the average researcher do throw it away right so
researcher do throw it away right so
researcher do throw it away right so start a new experiment but not you
your reaction would be oh this is
your reaction would be oh this is interesting
interesting
interesting you would have a closer look and you
you would have a closer look and you
you would have a closer look and you would see this strange halo around the
would see this strange halo around the
would see this strange halo around the mold and as soon as you do some analysis
mold and as soon as you do some analysis
mold and as soon as you do some analysis you find out that actually this strange
you find out that actually this strange
you find out that actually this strange halo contains dead bacteria and then you
halo contains dead bacteria and then you
halo contains dead bacteria and then you make this really amazing conclusion that
make this really amazing conclusion that
make this really amazing conclusion that the mold is producing something that
the mold is producing something that
the mold is producing something that kills bacteria and the rest is history
kills bacteria and the rest is history
kills bacteria and the rest is history so in 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered
so in 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered
so in 1928 Alexander Fleming discovered the first antibiotic which is penicillin
the first antibiotic which is penicillin
the first antibiotic which is penicillin and it took until 1940 to actually to
and it took until 1940 to actually to
and it took until 1940 to actually to prove sufficient quantities to treat
prove sufficient quantities to treat
prove sufficient quantities to treat human beings but from that time on
human beings but from that time on
human beings but from that time on diseases that were actually absolutely
diseases that were actually absolutely
diseases that were actually absolutely deadly at the time so wound infections
deadly at the time so wound infections
deadly at the time so wound infections syphilis could be easily cured and since
syphilis could be easily cured and since
syphilis could be easily cured and since this discovery actually over a billion
this discovery actually over a billion
this discovery actually over a billion people benefited from penicillin so this
people benefited from penicillin so this
people benefited from penicillin so this makes this drug impact level 9 so now
makes this drug impact level 9 so now
makes this drug impact level 9 so now let’s let’s take a deeper look into the
let’s let’s take a deeper look into the
let’s let’s take a deeper look into the history on of such high-impact medicines
history on of such high-impact medicines
history on of such high-impact medicines and I’ve just done the analysis that I
and I’ve just done the analysis that I
and I’ve just done the analysis that I just look at the last century and what
just look at the last century and what
just look at the last century and what you see here is the number of
you see here is the number of
you see here is the number of high-impact medicines completely novel
high-impact medicines completely novel
high-impact medicines completely novel treatments that hit the market in each
treatments that hit the market in each
treatments that hit the market in each of those decades and the first
of those decades and the first
of those decades and the first interesting finding is the 80s seem to
interesting finding is the 80s seem to
interesting finding is the 80s seem to have been a very productive period where
have been a very productive period where
have been a very productive period where a total of nine different completely
a total of nine different completely
a total of nine different completely novel cures for major diseases came to
novel cures for major diseases came to
novel cures for major diseases came to the market such as human insulin for the
the market such as human insulin for the
the market such as human insulin for the treatment of diabetes or such as TPA for
treatment of diabetes or such as TPA for
treatment of diabetes or such as TPA for the treatment of heart attacks and
the treatment of heart attacks and
the treatment of heart attacks and strokes so very important discoveries
strokes so very important discoveries
strokes so very important discoveries where the drugs actually hit the market
where the drugs actually hit the market
where the drugs actually hit the market so but what I was expecting was because
so but what I was expecting was because
so but what I was expecting was because everybody’s talking about exponential
everybody’s talking about exponential
everybody’s talking about exponential development was an exponential
development was an exponential
development was an exponential development of these high-impact new
development of these high-impact new
development of these high-impact new medicines and the only thing that’s
medicines and the only thing that’s
medicines and the only thing that’s actually exponential is the money that
actually exponential is the money that
actually exponential is the money that is being spent on research and
is being spent on research and
is being spent on research and development so there seems to be a
development so there seems to be a
development so there seems to be a disconnect between on one hand
disconnect between on one hand
disconnect between on one hand investment in research and on the other
investment in research and on the other
investment in research and on the other hand the type of impact that is being
hand the type of impact that is being
hand the type of impact that is being generated for Humanity
generated for Humanity
generated for Humanity and I would just like to give you an
and I would just like to give you an
and I would just like to give you an example this is this is one of the big
example this is this is one of the big
example this is this is one of the big game changers in modern medicine who in
game changers in modern medicine who in
game changers in modern medicine who in the room knows praziquantel show of
the room knows praziquantel show of
the room knows praziquantel show of hands one two not that many this is
hands one two not that many this is
hands one two not that many this is because we are not in Africa Prezi
because we are not in Africa Prezi
because we are not in Africa Prezi quantal was developed in the 70s and is
quantal was developed in the 70s and is
quantal was developed in the 70s and is actually extremely effective for the
actually extremely effective for the
actually extremely effective for the treatment of parasitic worms especially
treatment of parasitic worms especially
treatment of parasitic worms especially this fell on the right side here which
this fell on the right side here which
this fell on the right side here which is called a blood fluke schistosomiasis
schistosomiasis and it looks in some
schistosomiasis and it looks in some cases like this poor little child and
cases like this poor little child and
cases like this poor little child and the light on the left side so the liver
the light on the left side so the liver
the light on the left side so the liver is basically full of those worms and and
is basically full of those worms and and
is basically full of those worms and and actually 280,000 people are dying of
actually 280,000 people are dying of
actually 280,000 people are dying of this disease every year but despite this
this disease every year but despite this
this disease every year but despite this very good effect of this drug it’s
very good effect of this drug it’s
very good effect of this drug it’s tablets you just swallow them and the
tablets you just swallow them and the
tablets you just swallow them and the worms go away this drug was never
worms go away this drug was never
worms go away this drug was never commercially successful actually in 2007
commercially successful actually in 2007
commercially successful actually in 2007 the company American Darmstadt decided
the company American Darmstadt decided
the company American Darmstadt decided to basically switch to the Prezi
to basically switch to the Prezi
to basically switch to the Prezi Quantrill donation program with the
Quantrill donation program with the
Quantrill donation program with the w-h-o the World Health Organization and
w-h-o the World Health Organization and
w-h-o the World Health Organization and since then mac was only donating the
since then mac was only donating the
since then mac was only donating the tablet so since then five hundred
tablet so since then five hundred
tablet so since then five hundred million tablets have been donated to
million tablets have been donated to
million tablets have been donated to basically people in Africa mostly
basically people in Africa mostly
basically people in Africa mostly schoolchildren and more than 100 million
schoolchildren and more than 100 million
schoolchildren and more than 100 million of those were treated with these tablets
of those were treated with these tablets
of those were treated with these tablets so talking about absurdity we’re looking
so talking about absurdity we’re looking
so talking about absurdity we’re looking here at at a drug that actually has an
here at at a drug that actually has an
here at at a drug that actually has an impact of at least level eight so
impact of at least level eight so
impact of at least level eight so hundreds of millions of people and on
hundreds of millions of people and on
hundreds of millions of people and on the other hand a complete financial
the other hand a complete financial
the other hand a complete financial failure this is quite absurd and the
failure this is quite absurd and the
failure this is quite absurd and the question is why is this and if we look
question is why is this and if we look
question is why is this and if we look for a comparison who in the room knows
for a comparison who in the room knows
for a comparison who in the room knows Botox show of hands quite a few this is
Botox show of hands quite a few this is
Botox show of hands quite a few this is what I expected it’s to to get rid of
what I expected it’s to to get rid of
what I expected it’s to to get rid of these nasty wrinkles you have in your
these nasty wrinkles you have in your
these nasty wrinkles you have in your face great drug generated in 2015 sales
face great drug generated in 2015 sales
face great drug generated in 2015 sales of over three billion dollars but not
of over three billion dollars but not
of over three billion dollars but not really a life-saving drug I would say
really a life-saving drug I would say
really a life-saving drug I would say and so very low impact level and this
and so very low impact level and this
and so very low impact level and this shows you a little more this this
shows you a little more this this
shows you a little more this this absurdity so if as a conclusion if if
absurdity so if as a conclusion if if
absurdity so if as a conclusion if if it’s not money that is driving
it’s not money that is driving
it’s not money that is driving high-impact innovation what is it
high-impact innovation what is it
high-impact innovation what is it any idea the all very shy well you
any idea the all very shy well you
any idea the all very shy well you probably note its curiosity right the
probably note its curiosity right the
probably note its curiosity right the curiosity that led Alexander Fleming to
curiosity that led Alexander Fleming to
curiosity that led Alexander Fleming to turn a failed experiment into a
turn a failed experiment into a
turn a failed experiment into a discovery that truly changed the world
discovery that truly changed the world
discovery that truly changed the world so what do we learn from this maybe we
so what do we learn from this maybe we
so what do we learn from this maybe we should focus less on money maybe we
should focus less on money maybe we
should focus less on money maybe we should focus a little more on impact and
should focus a little more on impact and
should focus a little more on impact and maybe we should focus more on curiosity
maybe we should focus more on curiosity
maybe we should focus more on curiosity driven research so more of us actually
driven research so more of us actually
driven research so more of us actually reach impact level 9 thank you
reach impact level 9 thank you
reach impact level 9 thank you [Applause]
”
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