Focus Forward: New Tools for the Regulatory Profession

The 2009 RAPS Horizons Conference in April introduced participants to many thought-provoking ideas and views about what the future may hold for the healthcare product sector and the regulatory profession. The conference began with a keynote presentation from Andrew Hargadon, professor of management and innovation at UC Davis. Professor Hargadon's message, which became a theme echoed throughout the conference, was that innovation is more about connecting than it is about inventing. It means bringing ideas from outside the organization and putting them to use in new ways.