Glaucoma refers to a group of diseases, which are responsible for stealing the sight from those individuals that suffer from it. It is not just a first world problem, but rather a problem that has spread out all over the worlds to developing countries as well. Many studies and measures have been taken to try to help create a workable intervention for patients suffering from this sort of problem. In as much as there is very little known to professionals about the what can be done primarily to prevent glaucoma, there are some very effective medical techniques that doctors have come up with such as surgical treatment in cases where the disease has been detected and diagnosed early(Alliance For Case Studies For Global Health, 2009).
This group of diseases happens to be the leading cause of irreversible, bilateral blindness around the word affecting more than 60 million people of which only 20 million are actively getting treatment. This paper looks into the plans, decisions, and actions that are being employed to reach a healthcare goal of providing a workable treatment for this disease both in the United States and around the world, in the health policy regarding glaucoma.
Aquashunt is a brilliant prototype for an invention created by Dr. Shields, a clinical glaucoma researcher, thanks to the investments and involvement of McNab. This team together with two other co-founders dedicated their time and life to creating a second-generation approved device that could go out into the market to help millions of people suffering from glaucoma.
The implementation of a humanitarian license provision by Yale was a big step forward for not Just Shield, but for his whole team and it gave the greatest hope for millions of people who could then be reached using the Aquashunt as an intervention. This license provision was agreed upon after key issues had been addressed with J. Puziss, the director of technology licensing at Yale. The key humanitarian items agreed on for the Aquashunt were as follows: As part of its main corporate mission statement all the licensed products in the under-developed and developing countries will be used, also the license would also assist the necessary clinical testing that ought to be carried in this low-income and middle-income countries. Finally, out of the $5000000 profit the project will acquire the license dictates that one percent of this profit annually will be granted to the governments of the under-developed and developing states in form of services, grants, and those products that are licensed.
The stakeholders involved are the governments that are set to benefit from this invention, the inventor, and his team. The University of Yale and most importantly the millions of patients that urgently require to benefit from this invention. This health policy is set to benefit the several patients and more so those in developing countries. The Aquashunt is extremely affordable compared to the surgical methods of treatment that have previously been used. The invention makes it possible for anyone anywhere to access a possible treatment solution without having to go looking for an expert surgeon to undertake an expensive procedure that will require constant checkups and follow ups. The key concepts of this patented invention that make it unique and less expensive include the fact that it is biocompatible, and takes up the exact shape of the eye. After it’s implanted into the eye it’s able to drain the aqueous humor to the suprachoroidal space. Its simplicity enables the implantation to be done anywhere in the world without necessary using specialized surgical skills.
Through the policy, clinical trials were made possible for the Aquashunt device in different places globally around the world like Mexico and Dominican Republic. A larger clinical trial was also set up in Europe and the United States. The inventors for this product further wish to acquire approval from the U.S food and Drug Administration so that they can continue marketing their product.
REFERENCES
Alliance For Case Studies For Global Health. (2009). Case Studies for Global Health. Health Progress. Retrieved from http://www.casestudiesforglobalhealth.org/case_study_PDFs/GlobalHealthCaseStudies.pdf
