The Unexplored Contribution of Responsible Innovation in Health to Sustainable Development Goals

Pascale Lehoux, Hudson Pacifico Silva, Renata Pozelli Sabio and Federico Roncarolo
Additional contact information
Pascale Lehoux: Department of Health Management, Evaluation and Policy, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
Hudson Pacifico Silva: Institute of Public Health Research of University of Montreal (IRSPUM), P.O. Box 6128, Branch Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
Renata Pozelli Sabio: Institute of Public Health Research of University of Montreal (IRSPUM), P.O. Box 6128, Branch Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
Federico Roncarolo: Institute of Public Health Research of University of Montreal (IRSPUM), P.O. Box 6128, Branch Centre-ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 11, 1-21

Abstract: Responsible Innovation in Health (RIH) represents an emerging Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) approach that could support not only the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) “Good health and well-being” but also other SDGs. Since few studies have conceptualized the relationships between RIH and the SDGs, our goal was to inductively develop a framework to identify knowledge gaps and areas for further reflections. Our exploratory study involved: (1) performing a web-based horizon scanning to identify health innovations with responsibility features; and (2) illustrating through empirical examples how RIH addresses the SDGs. A total of 105 innovations were identified: up to 43% were developed by non-profit organizations, universities or volunteers; 46.7% originated from the United States; and 64.5% targeted countries in Africa, Central and South America and South Asia. These innovations addressed health problems such as newborn care (15.5%), reduced mobility and limb amputation (14.5%), infectious diseases (10.9%), pregnancy and delivery care (9.1%) and proper access to care and drugs (7.3%). Several of these innovations were aligned with SDG10-Reduced inequalities (87%), SDG17-Partnerships for the goals (54%), SDG1-No poverty (15%) and SDG4-Quality education (11%). A smaller number of them addressed sustainable economic development goals such as SDG11-Sustainable cities and communities (9%) and SDG9-Industry and innovation (6%), and environmental sustainability goals such as SDG7-Affordable and clean energy (7%) and SDG6-Clean water and sanitation (5%). Three examples show how RIH combines entrepreneurship and innovation in novel ways to address the determinants of health, thereby contributing to SDG5 (Gender), SDG10 (Inequalities), SDG4 (Education) and SDG8 (Decent work), and indirectly supporting SDG7 (Clean energy) and SDG13 (Climate action). Further research should examine how alternative business models, social enterprises and social finance may support the STI approach behind RIH.

Keywords: health technology development; innovation policy; health policy; sustainability; Sustainable Development Goals; Responsible Research and Innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/4015/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/11/4015/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:11:p:4015-:d:180070

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().