Sustainable Translation of Digital Health Technologies

Digital health technologies (DHTs) offer revolutionary potential in healthcare but face translation barriers from academia to real-world application. Key issues include funding, commercialisation focus, data standards, and digital skills. Different challenges in high-income vs. low- and middle-income countries require tailored approaches. Funders play a critical role in overcoming these barriers through strategic funding and policy advocacy, promoting cross-sector collaboration for sustainable health impact.

The recent report commissioned by the Wellcome Trust to CF and The Christabel Pankhurst Institute explores the Sustainable Development of Digital Health Technologies from Academia.

We would like to thank Carnall Farrar, and inputs from colleagues of the Pankhurst Institute, Videha Sharma, Nicola Telfer, John Ainsworth, and many other colleagues:

Detailed Acknowledgements: This report was commissioned by The Wellcome Trust and authored by Carnall Farrar (CF) and the Christabel Pankhurst Institute. Input and oversight from The Wellcome Trust were led by Nicola Haines, and the wider Wellcome team consisted of Harriet Unsworth, Lindsey AtkinsTamblin, Alethea Cope, Sophie Chung, Angela Yao, Gwydion Williams, Isabel Fletcher, Tayla McCloud, and Christine Ferguson. Input and oversight from the expert research team included Prof. John Ainsworth and Dr. Felix Sukums. An expert advisory panel also provided input and consisted of Dr. Kaushik Sarkar, Prof. William Pan, Dr. Abiodun Adereni, Dr. Dorothee Doepfer, Dr. Melinda Rees, Dr. Kieran Zucker and Dr. Pilar Hernandez. Analysis from CF was led by Kevin Atkin, Will Browne, Dr. Yemi Oviosu, Dr. Videha Sharma, Dr. Enya Khan, Rose Matthews, Dr. Beena Mistry, Oleh Morshna and Nicola Telfer. We would like to thank all the experts, stakeholders and organisations that took part in the interviews, survey and focus groups, and whose input and expertise we drew on.