Our editorial article with Magnus Gulbrandsen, Maureen McKelvey, and Fiona A. Miller accompanying the special issue on “Rethinking Medical Innovation: Organizing R&D, Responding to Crisis, Delivering Health Services” in Innovation: Organization & Management is now online (as open access article). In this piece, we elaborate on the specific characteristics of medical innovation such as the complex relationship between medical innovation and demand /need; the critical importance of various forms of scientific knowledge and collaboration; and the centrality of governments and regulations. We discuss how each special issue article touches upon at least two of these key characteristics and prompts reflection on how medical innovation may be rethought.
