Second Chance Agency
Despite the fact that the proverbial donkey does not hit the same stone twice, unsuccessful innovations hardly ever get a second chance. Unjustly, because research shows that entrepreneurial people who have failed once learn from their mistakes and are more successful when repeating them.
Ongoing projects
Corona in kaart
When corona erupted, there was little insight into the local spread of the corona virus. The Stichting Corona in Kaart (SCiK(the Foundation for Mapping Corona)) therefore developed a regional data- and information platform and realized a pilot in Rotterdam. Unfortunately, it was not possible to keep the platform in the air and to roll it out nationally. The initiators hope for a restart.
Facial recognition in the nursing home
Residents of nursing homes are allowed to walk around freely thanks to the open-door vision. Yet they are not supposed to just walk into all rooms. Theo Breurers developed a system based on facial recognition that warns when a resident enters or leaves certain rooms. The project seemed to be GDPR-proof, but ran up against privacy legislation.
The goal of offering people more freedom through new, innovative technology obviously justifies further action. In addition, the problem seems solvable if the authorities, in particular the Dutch Data Protection Authority, are willing to interpret the rules more broadly or at least allow experimentation.
MyTomorrows and early access in the Netherlands
Sometimes there is still hope for patients who have exhausted all treatment options. Medical treatments that are still being developed could provide them with the necessary health benefits. myTomorrows (mT) links patients and doctors to experimental drugs that are in the final stages of clinical development. This sounds simpler than it is.
There is no proven business case for early access yet, but the demand for experimental drugs is increasing. After all, they can deliver major health benefits to out-of-treatment patients. That is why early access deserves a Second Chance.
In charge of your own uterus: embolization of fibroids
Since 2013 gynecologists have been required to discuss embolization with patients as a possible treatment for their fibroids. However, hysterectomie, removal of the uterus, remains the most common non-drug treatment for patients with a fibroid. Thanks to perverse incentives in our healthcare system, only 100 of the 8000-9000 patients choose embolization, the less invasive option.