Risk-Mitigating Technologies: the Case of Radiation Diagnostic Devices

Alberto Galasso and Hong Luo

No 13682, CEPR Discussion Papers from Centre for Economic Policy Research

Abstract: We study the impact of consumers' risk perception on firm innovation. Our analysis exploits a major surge in the perceived risk of radiation diagnostic devices, following extensive media coverage of a set of over-radiation accidents involving CT scanners in late 2009. Difference-in-differences regressions using data on patents and FDA product clearances show that the increased perception of radiation risk spurred the development of new technologies that mitigated such risk and led to a greater number of new products. We provide qualitative evidence and describe patterns of equipment usage and upgrade that are consistent with this mechanism. Our analysis suggests that changes in risk perception can be an important driver of innovation and shape the direction of technological progress.

Keywords: Risk perception; Innovation; Medical devices; Product liabilities (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K13 O31 O32 O34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hea and nep-law
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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