Horizontal scanning for high-potential, high-demand and high-technological capability medical innovations in Thailand
End : 16 December 2024
Horizontal scanning for high-potential, high-demand and high-technological capability medical innovations in Thailand
About Project
The Thai Innovation List was established in 2015 to compile products and services developed through Thailand’s scientific and technological knowledge and research capacity. The initiative was designed to support and promote the utilization of Thai innovations for economic development and commercialization. Medical innovations account for approximately 53.5% of the products included in the Thai Innovation List. However, many medical research outputs from both the public and private sectors in Thailand have not yet been widely commercialized due to limited opportunities and insufficient mechanisms to address barriers to market adoption. In addition, some products included in the innovation registry have not corresponded to areas of high market demand and have yet to gain confidence from purchasers.
Furthermore, given the limitations in resources and investment budgets for medical research and innovation development in Thailand, it is essential to identify the factors that contribute to the future success of innovations. This would enable relevant organizations to prioritize high-value innovations and ensure that limited resources are allocated to projects with the greatest potential to generate meaningful impact and practical implementation within the national healthcare system.
The project was therefore initiated to develop a national medical innovation monitoring process, or Horizontal Scanning, focusing on medical innovations included in the Thai Innovation List as well as innovations that have been incorporated into benefit packages under Thailand’s universal health coverage system. The project aimed to identify variables and factors associated with the successful development of high-potential medical innovations in Thailand through both qualitative and quantitative analyses. Statistical models were developed to analyze factors influencing innovation success, alongside criteria for prioritizing medical innovations within the innovation registry in order to identify high-potential innovations. These efforts serve as the foundation for developing mechanisms to facilitate the inclusion of high-potential medical innovations from the Thai Innovation List into the national health insurance benefit package, while also strengthening support systems to improve the future success of Thailand’s research and innovation ecosystem.
Based on the study findings and stakeholder consultations, it was concluded that medical innovation development is a complex process requiring collaboration across multiple sectors. The integration of innovative products into the national health insurance system requires a systematic screening process, including a clear definition of innovation, early-stage medical and economic evaluation, and prioritization of innovations based on disease burden and potential impact on the healthcare system. Disease groups with the greatest impact on Thailand’s public health system include cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, cancer and neoplastic disorders, diabetes, and kidney disease. Innovations capable of reducing healthcare costs and disease burden in these areas should therefore receive particular support. In addition, there is a need to promote innovation for infectious diseases and neglected tropical diseases in order to enhance the resilience and effectiveness of the national health insurance system.
The role of the public sector is critically important in supporting the innovation ecosystem. Government agencies should actively participate not only as regulators, but also as developers, investors, and strategic leaders in research prioritization, to ensure that innovations generated can be effectively translated into real-world healthcare applications.
