Technological paradigms and trajectories in health: challenges of innovation in the care of diabetes

Abstract

In the health sector, the incorporation of innovations has contributed to an increased demand for public  services, as well as technologies and the supplies used in the provision of health services. One of the health  sectors which causes most pressures on services in  terms of the incorporation of its products is the  pharmaceutical industry. This study aims to describe  the technological trajectories in the segment of anti-diabetic medication launched in Brazil between 1998  and 2012. These drugs represent a significant  proportion of spending on medicine in the Country.  By using a qualitative, descriptive and exploratory  methodology, the present study endeavored to  answer the following questions: have changes taken  place in the technological trajectories over the time  period considered herein? Have the innovations incorporated in the Country been of an incremental or radical nature? What are the evidences that support  these changes in direction? In light of the data  collected from a variety of databases, it was possible  to verify that the anti-diabetic medications introduced during this period represented incremental  innovations with respect to the technological  trajectories considered herein.