Building Better Models for Innovation in Health Care

Geoffrey S.F. Ling, MD, PhD, former director of the Biological Technologies Office at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), delivered a keynote address at the Association of VA Hematology and Oncology (AVAHO) 12th annual meeting on the theme of bringing better models for innovation to health care. According to Ling, DARPA was able to rapidly develop advanced prosthetics from concept through FDA approval to manufacturing within 8 years. The prosthetics provide greater control and can be neurologically controlled. “When you open a door, amazing things happen,” he argued.

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The key, according to Dr. Ling is that funders need to learn how to say yes, adequately resource innovators, provide milestones and time lines, fail early and fast, closely manage projects, and identify and transition to commercialization partners.

In a wide ranging presentation, Ling discussed many of the challenges posed by the Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and how DARPA responded to emerging health care delivery needs. You can create the greatest impact beginning by solving a specific problem, “solutions are most efficient and quickly achieved through milestone driven research,” he argued. DARPA was responsible for setting in motion a broad array of innovations from GPS and night optical vision to portable ultrasounds and the self-driving car.

Dr. Ling is currently the COO and founder of On Demand Pharmacy, a company that is developing a machine for manufacturing on-demand small batches of small-molecule (generic) pharmaceuticals.

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Federal Practitioner sat down with Dr. Ling to discuss the implications of using the DARPA model of fostering innovation for the cancer moonshot and the potential impact of on-demand pharmacy in the military and globally.