Editor’s Letter

A World Without What?

There’s an interesting idea circulating at the top tier of healthcare: a world without disease. Its most visible champion is Johnson & Johnson, which has an initiative by that name, headed by Cat Oyler, Global Head of External Innovation Strategy and Operations. But others are also on the bandwagon, and it’s inspiring. At first, this seems to fly in the face of a common misperception about our industry. What would all those profitable companies do if there were no disease? They’d go broke! NEIL GREENBERG Hardly. In fact, the goal is largely based on the idea of preventive care, something the industry is also investing in more and more. Obviously, this isn’t going to happen overnight, nor is it going to be the responsibility only of healthcare companies. It will require governments, payers, academia and patient organizations working in concert. J&J has kicked off this goal with a series of Quickfire Challenges, offering grant help to various entrepreneurs, companies and organizations in numerous areas of healthcare: perioperative care, to support nursing skills development and develop nursing leaders; “Reimagining Respiratory Protection,” to protect the public from infectious agents and the threat of pandemics; the First 1000 Days challenge for prevention and interception of childhood disease and disorders; a Carcinogenic Exposure Meter challenge to reduce tobacco use among young people; and many more, in devices, mobile wellness and other areas. In a blog, Cat’s colleague Ben Wiegand, Global Head, World Without Disease Accelerator at Janssen Research & Development, writes “We’re calling for ideas and innovations from…entrepreneurs, researchers, start-ups, tech …We’re seeking the best science and the brightest minds …and the latest in digital technology to help us disrupt the existing health paradigm by shifting from a model of diagnose and treat to one of predict and preempt.” You can see the video here. “We imagine a time when widespread disease is a historical artifact,” says Cat. “We have the capabilities and we have the responsibility, to free the world from disease.” And that’s the industry you proudly work for. That’s your Why for today.

We try to keep up with all this, and bring you the people who have a grasp on change. We hope that it will be informative, and assist you in furthering the work you do every day. Let us know what topics will be most useful to you!

Neil Greenberg, Editor

To become an HS&M contributing author or provide feedback, please email me at ngreenberg@hsandm.com.

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