Mike Rea

Creating a Culture of Biomedical Innovation

Mike Rea, Christopher Austin, Amitabh Chandra, Margaret Hamburg, Jennifer Miller, Jason Spangler

A cross-sector panel comprising leaders from NCATS, the FDA, Harvard, and Amgen redefined biomedical innovation as a value-driven process that balances patient outcomes with accessibility and ethical trust. By advocating for a collaborative culture that normalizes failure and breaks down silos between research, regulation, and reimbursement, the group proposed shifting metrics from simple speed to societal acceleration and integrity. The discussion ultimately highlighted critical misalignments in R&D funding, noting that commercial incentives currently neglect major disease burdens like mental health and neglected tropical diseases, necessitating a structural shift toward public-sector leadership.