An Opportunity Belief

My beginning point. 

I believe that an opportunity exists in cognitive enhancing drugs.

My Belief.

Cognitive enhancing drugs are almost handed out by doctors like candy on Halloween. The need for awareness about these drugs short- and long-term effects is crucial. Individuals who are diagnosed with mental disabilities that require a need for medication are at risk of drug shortages. Individuals who irregularly and illegally acquire these drugs are at risk of far worse risks later on down the road. The need for some kind of change stemmed from the over arching supply of school students taking advantage of the “smart drug”; this need has been a rolling problem for a few too many years now. At this point, I am 90% sure that that an opportunity exists to help all parties involved in this epidemic of the “smart drug”.

The Prototypical Customer. 

The prototypical customer is students’ of all ages prescribed or indulging in the consumption of cognitive enhancing drugs.

Iterations

Prototypical Customer #1: University of Florida Student

Q) What is the exact nature of the need?

A) “I am guilty of this too, but I see my friends acquiring Adderall and Vyvanse from other students are who prescribed the drug and I always wonder how they can give the drug to other people being that they are prescribed it. Meaning, don’t they need it? I notice in my girlfriend when she doesn’t take the drug consistently that she becomes sad and angry at little things. It’s hard to watch and notice the way that a drug meant for mental disabilities affects people’s minds.”

Q) When did you become aware of the need, do you experience the need all the time or only sometimes?

A) “I noticed that the drug became some peoples life line when it came to exams or cramming a lot of work in a short period of time. That’s when I thought it was a serious issue for the first time. Because, I know not everyone is prescribe this drug and if they were then pharmacies must be loaded with smart drugs. I don’t experience the effects of the problems that occur because of cognitive enhancing drug availability, but if it comes down to the wire and I am stressed and tired I sometimes feel as if I need the drug no matter what to keep me going.”

Q) How long have they had the need?

A) “Like I said, I don’t necessarily hold the problem of future implications inhibiting my long life based on the few times a semester I take the drug. I have however noticed a shortage during exam season of the drug, not just from people trying to get it who are not prescribed but for people like my girlfriend who are actually prescribed the drug and needs it to have any focus at all.”

Q) How are you currently addressing your need?

A) “Currently well I always try to tell my girlfriend not to give away her medicine so that her own mental state can be as stable as possible but she doesn’t always listen if its for her friends who are begging her. So I try to just be there for her if she runs out or can’t get her prescription filled. Because, I know how hard it is to truly need something that other people take complete advantage of.”

Q) How satisfied are you with this solution?

A) “I think a solution that in any way helps people be aware of the repercussions that follows the crazy amount of people who take these types of drugs would definitely help those with true mental disorders.”

Prototypical Customer #2: University of Florida Student

Q) What is the exact nature of the need?

A) “I run out of Adderall all the time! Yeah I mean I give it to my friends but I always tell them to not tell anyone where they got it from just in case the FDA come after me one day. I think definitely that people who take the drug should be more aware of why they take it and to what extent they actually need it, because truthfully I think people who say they need it but have never been diagnosed with any kind of reading or attentive disability create a mindset that they must have it in order to do better in school. My friends don’t even listen to me when I tell them they are being moody and it is because they took Adderall yesterday and didn’t today, they just blame it on being tired.”  

Q) When do you become aware of the need, do you experience the need all the time or only sometimes?

A) “At first I didn’t really care because I have been taking it for so many years that if my friends thought it helped them then why not, I don’t study everyday like in High School. But then it came to the end of the semester last spring and I went to pick up my prescription and not only one but three pharmacies were waiting for new shipments. I literally cried to my mom for hours on the phone because I had final exams, final papers, and final assignments to do before I could get away from this place.”

Q) How long have you had the need?

A) “I have needed Adderall for almost six years now and up until college it was just a part of my daily morning routine. Then once I got to school it became much more than that, once my friends found out I was prescribed they ask almost everyday, it get’s annoying. Then my friends starting asking me how they could get prescribed and at first I would tell them how I did but then I realized that most of them just want it to have it when they think they need it instead of every day like I have been having to take it for years and years. I felt like I was being undermined by them because I need it to be on their level where as they are taking it to be above everyone else’s level.”

Q) How are you currently addressing your need?

A) “Well, I still give away a few because I try not to take it on the weekends because mixing alcohol with it is super bad. But, I wish my friends listened to me when I tell them they should try their hardest to get away from taking it because in their future life they aren’t going to have it so what happens when their boss gives them a huge project to complete a.s.a.p. , they are going to fail.”

Q) How satisfied are you with this solution?

A) “I like that you thought about this because I don’t really ever think about it that much but I think, yeah, if professors required some kind of survey that then had students listen to medical professionals talk about cognitive enhancing drug side effects students would definitely lean off taking it as much as they do. I feel like if more people know about this “epidemic” then scientists could come up with something that would help.”

Prototypical Customer #3: Pharmacists at Walgreen's

Q) What is the exact nature of the need?

A) “Reform on cognitive enhancing drugs is something I have been wanting for a long time now. I have customers who come in angry all the time and I of course ask myself if the drugs I am giving them is the cause for their behavior. Although, I can’t give up much information on direct medical inquiries of my customers, I can tell you that drugs are addictive and people will sometimes go to great lengths to acquire drugs. Which means that, although I can give advice based on my stores’ supply of drugs, I cannot ask why or how individuals acquire prescriptions. With that being said, many many customers come in here nervous and sweaty but if I am handed a medically documented piece of paper permitting me to give this drug to this individual, I am required to.”

Q) When do you become aware of the need, do you experience the need all the time or only sometimes?

A) “I’ve been aware of the problem for years, noticing the increase in customers who have cognitive enhancing drug prescriptions. Recently, more of my customers have expressed emotion-led thoughts towards shortages in the store, but I don’t think those emotions are caused by drug withdraw. They may be induced by other factors such as stress. I often run short on certain dosages each month but that varies month by month.”

Q) How long have you had the need?

A) “I would say there has been an increase in demand for a few years now. With that being said, there should be more research looking into the matter.”

Q) How are you currently addressing your need?

A) “I kindly tell customers the date in which we get a new shipment, as well as mentioning who else around may still have what they need.”

Q) How satisfied are you with this solution?

A) “I am not satisfied. I would like some kind of change in the system in which these drugs are being prescribed by doctors.”

Reflection.

From talking to people about this opportunity I learned the magnitude of the problem. Each individual I interviewed mentioned at least one concern with the problems that stem from cognitive enhancing drug usage. We must face the reality of the situation and acquire further research on the drugs side effects for the individuals who take the drug illegally. From talking to people, we can see that people are aware of the large number of people taking the drug without prescription. Thus, it is surprising that nobody thinks twice about doing something about it.

My original opportunity gives light to the larger problem that is the unawareness college students have to side effects of prescription drugs. My opportunity granted a foundation of problems to solve all caused by the intake of cognitive enhancing drugs. Upon talking to others, I learned that a change in the system is needed. Since I did not change my opportunity drastically at the end of all this, my opportunity is still accurate due to the fact the drug is still being taken advantage of and something needs to be done about it. Entrepreneurs should adapt new found opportunities to customer feedback because ultimately the customer is who will benefit from the opportunity. Although, we should still stick with the facts, the evidence and the research before allowing customer feedback to completely take over because there is always room for bias.

Check out this article from the Miami Herald...

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/health-care/article239346033.html

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