Average time it takes for an invention to move from academia to
practice, i.e. from invention to patient, once it makes its way
through the trial process.

I dont need many sources. As long as there are a couple and they are
RELIABLE and QUOTABLE, that is sufficient

From the sound of your question you are excluding drugs right?  You
are looking for the avg time it takes an 'invention' to go from
concept to accepted use?

Assuming you are talking about devices and not drugs and assuming you
are asking about the USA:

For FY 1999-2001, the three-year average ?FDA time to 50 percent
approval? was 360 days for expedited PMAs and 320 days for regular
PMAs. These are the baseline numbers that the Agency has committed to
lower by 30 days for applications filed during FY 2005-2007.

You can get the context of the above info
here:http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/mdufma/goalpma.html

Some other links:

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2003/beyond2002/report.html

http://www.fda.gov/opacom/laws/fdcact/fdcact5a2.htm

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/consumer/

Sorry, I specifically meant drugs. I should have been clearer.

I dont mean how long it taked FDA to approve.  I mean from invention
to practice, which can be many times more than it taked the FDA to
approve, due to many factors. For example, how long it takes to
publish, how long for the trials, how long it takes to prepare FDA
applications, FDA review time, etc etc

This time is probably circa 7 years, but I have seen figures quoted
for it, just cant seem to find them right now.

Here are a couple of sites that say it takes much longer:
http://www.allp.com/drug_dev.htm
http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/en/genome/tacklingdisease/hg09b005.html
http://wistechnology.com/article.php?id=377
http://www.netsci.org/scgi-bin/Courseware/projector.pl?Course_num=course1&Filename=slide08.html

One could be critical about the information from the producers, who
have a vested interest in arguing that the process takes sooo long and
hence their need to charge high prices to recoup their investment in
the shorter remaining time under which the drug is protected by
patent, something discussed on the Wisconsin technology site  (time
range:  12 -21.5 years).

Depends on the indication.

myoarin-ga 

Thanks for the info. Please post your comment as an answer. It was
exactly what I needed.

Thanks!

HI Solars,
I am very pleased that my information was what you were looking for.
Only G-A Researchers with a blue name can post an official answer and
collect the price, so just enjoy!

And I very much appreciate that you came back to say thanks.

Regards, Myoarin