Patient income and health innovation

Abstract

This study analyzes the relationship between the number of clinical trials in a disease area, the health losses from that disease, and the average income of people suffering from it. Average patient income appears strongly predictive of the number of clinical trials, whether funded by industry or not. We are able to precisely estimate the relationship between income and the number of trials and to identify both (a) the specific diseases that appear to be underfunded relative to their harm to human health and (b) the amount of additional funding required to bring innovation investment up to the present average.

Keywords: clinical trials; income inequality; innovation.