Our Perspective
"I can not give any scientist of any age better advice than this: the intensity of conviction that a hypothesis is true has no bearing on whether it is true or not." Peter Medawar |
In 1953 Francis Crick announced, “We have discovered the secret of life." His collaborator in the discovery of the double helix, James Watson commented, “It was simple; instantly you could explain this idea to anyone." There are few ideas that are as important and self-evident as to merit the remarks of Watson and Crick. Such confidence works if you are Watson or Crick, for everyone else there is data and the need to explain that data. Most insights fall somewhat short of the secret of life. Barsett Consulting will assist you in bringing your ideas to where they are easily understood and fully appreciated by investors and the markets for your products.
The human genome has been sequenced. Supporting technologies continue to grow by leaps and bounds. Yet, the best information is often the knowledge of how little we understand. Genomics has rapidly progressed to proteomics, metabolomics, and assorted other –omics. Systems biology (more in Resources) now recognizes that multiple aspects of a biological system must be examined. This approach effectively addresses questions central to moving insight from the bench to the bedside. To launch a new drug, diagnostic test, or device requires acknowledging this reality.
The issues that must be confronted require taking a hard look at specific problems faced by early stage companies. Aside from an economy just coming back to life, one of the most difficult to accept can be called the “Lake Wobegon effect” (more in Resources). We all believe that we, our ideas, and the people with whom we have chosen to work are all above average. In the quest for excellence it can be no other way. However, not everyone is going to readily agree with your perception. Often failing to take a cold hard look at ourselves can delay moving an intuition from the lab into the marketplace. That is, investors and early stage companies are often not looking through the same lens.
The healthcare environment has changed profoundly in recent years, and the pace of that transformation will likely accelerate to accommodate whatever changes in the healthcare system occur in the coming years (more in Resources). Regardless of whether your company is developing new drugs or diagnostic devices, your product must be viewed in the context of the economic constraints of healthcare reimbursement, the need for outcomes analysis, and the enormous potential of personalized medicine (more in Resources). Changes in healthcare delivery, regardless of whether they are dictated by the market or legislation, will revolve around evidence-based medicine and cost-effectiveness. Barsett stands ready to help you present the evidence is a part of the solution.
