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Repositioning & Redirecting The R & D System. Dr. Abhijit Lahiri Former Adviser & Head DSIR & Former OIC, UN APCTT. Just think a while. One billion people live on less than $ 1 a day 120 million children do not attend primary school 800 million people will go hungry tonight.
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Repositioning & Redirecting The R & D System Dr. Abhijit Lahiri Former Adviser & Head DSIR & Former OIC, UN APCTT
Just think a while One billion people live on less than $ 1 a day 120 million children do not attend primary school 800 million people will go hungry tonight
Concerns Basic necessities: Water, Food, Shelter, Clothing, Energy, Healthcare Empowering imperatives: Literacy, Education, Employment, Communication …
Can we succeed If we follow the beaten path?
Find new ways -- INNOVATE We need to do different things We need to do things differently
INNOVATION Technology inputs Social levers Policy prescriptions
Illiteracy in India Out of 1000 m population 200 m illiterate: 70 m male & 130 m female With 1.3 % growth in literacy, complete literacy may not be achieved even by 2020
Illiteracy in India Apart from quantum, major concerns are: How to reach the un-reached ? With so high female illiteracy, how to manage the literacy development program itself, apart from family planning, health care and nutritional management at household level ?
Constraints of present methodology Delivery of 200 hours of instructions Managing high dropouts Sourcing and retention of 625 thousand trained teachers
Computer-based functional literacy Based on theories of cognition, language and communication Learning words than alphabets Focus on reading
Computer-based functional literacy Cost : Rs 100 per capita.That is US $ 440 m for complete literacy development Essential: A bold decision to adopt the alternative Essential: Cheap means of communication Desirable: A strong Public Private Partnership
Communication – Facilitating technologies WLL technology Normal mobile phone technology Hand sets with larger screen & keyboard
Communication – Facilitating Policies Telecommunication: Opening up to private sector (both land and mobile) Corporatization of public monolith Privatization of overseas communication services Formation of a regulatory authority
Communication – Facilitating Policies Radio & TV Opening up to private sector
Computer Mobile PCs / Simputer Bureau method of accessing and using ICT Facilitating foreign trade policies
Water Is it possible to provide clean drinking water in 625 thousand villages? Definitely not possible if the present method of centralized treatment and distribution networks connecting households is used
Water So we need to do things differently
Water Forget centralized treatment & distribution system Promote water harvesting as a way of life Adopt Reverse Osmosis systems which are now available in different capacities for use at household / community / village.
Water But operation of Reverse Osmosis system requires energy – what do we do?
Energy for water treatment Camel power is doing wonders in Rajasthan, and ox power in West Bengal to run RO systems at village level. At household level the muscle power would serve the dual purpose -- provide clean drinking water to family & help burning calories at the same time
Healthcare Cataract surgery: Cost in US : $ 2500 – 3000 Cost in India: $ 50 --300
Healthcare Rehabilitation aids: Artificial leg Cost in US : $ 2500 – 3000 Cost in India: $ 50 -- 100
Healthcare Accessible & affordable medicines • Is it possible in the present IPR regime? • Is the commercial motivation of large NCs any different from MNCs ?
Drug Development Cost: 1.5 billion $ for a molecule Time: 15 years
Drug Development We can not afford Either we wait for the patents to expire Or do it differently
Drug Development – standard route Molecule Mice Men Target identification Lead identification Lead optimization Pre-clinical studies Clinical trials Drug to Market
Drug Development – reverse route Men Mice Men Large evidential base Pre-clinical studies Relevant Science Clinical trials Drug to Market
Drug Development – usual route Psoriasis Western drugs Cost of Development: Several hundred Million $ Time : About 10 years Cost per patient : $ 20,000
Drug Development – reverse route Psoriasis Indian drugs (Currently in Phase II ) Cost of Development: $ 5 Million Time : About 3 years Cost per patient : $ 50
Drug Development – reverse route Indian drugs for: Hepato-protective Hepato-curative Hepato-cellular carcinoma Type II diabetes Osteo-artharitis Breast cancer
Healthcare Immunization: Hepatitis B vaccine Cost of MNC product : $ 12 x 3 shots Cost of Indian product: $ 0.8 x 3
So ? ? ? Develop and apply new technology Apply social levers Evolve facilitating policies
So ? ? ? Think differently & Do differently That is the essence of Innovation. Only then we would be able to serve all
Thank you Reach me at: alh@nic.in, lahiri.abhijit@gmail.com Mobile: 9810200185