Designing Drug Delivery Devices: Prioritizing Simplicity, Empathy, and Real Patient Needs

Description / Show notes: Andy discusses the importance of patient-centered design in drug delivery devices, emphasizing that simplicity, reliability, and empathy should guide innovation rather than adding unnecessary features. Andy shares insights from his experience in human factors and medical design, highlighting the challenges patients face with complex therapies and the need to design devices that fit seamlessly into their lives. The conversation covers the pitfalls of overcomplicated devices, the myth of patient engagement, and the tension between regulatory requirements and true user needs, with examples illustrating how usability can be compromised by commercial or regulatory pressures.

1. Patient-Centered Design: Understanding real patient needs and lifestyles is crucial, and devices should be designed to minimize cognitive load and fit into daily routines.
2. Simplicity Over Complexity: Reliability and simplicity are more valuable to patients than flashy features, especially for those managing multiple therapies.
3. Challenges with Existing Therapies: Older, complex drug reconstitution processes persist due to regulatory grandfathering, leading to frequent user errors.
4. Engagement Myth: Debunking the idea that patients are excited about therapies, explaining that adherence is more about convenience than engagement.
5. Regulatory vs. User Needs: The discussion highlights how some device features are added to meet regulatory or commercial goals, not actual patient benefit, sometimes increasing complexity without improving usability.