Hubs

Women's Health Hub

Gender bias in R&D means that women's health is suffering. The conditions and experiences which disproportionately, differently or exclusively affect women are persistently overlooked, leading to worse health outcomes and social and economic inequities. We've launched this hub to look at the whole picture.

woman and a child hugging

Hub Editors

Cecile

Dr Cécile Ventola

Senior Technical Officer

Joelle Tan photo

Dr Joelle Tan

Senior Analyst

making an impact
Why it matters

We can’t impact global health if we neglect half of the global population. Women and girls - especially those who are pregnant, lactating or living in LMICs - continue to be overlooked in data collection, clinical trials, interpretation of findings, availability of products, access to care and many other critical steps in the development of health innovations which could make a huge difference. There is a critical need for data and analysis to inform policy agendas, budgets and priorities. We must achieve not just the needed funding levels but true representation of women and girls in global health R&D.

“They say women are too complicated to measure, or we haven’t collected data on them in the past so we can’t start now because there is no comparable data. That’s not good enough when you’re talking about half the world."

says Caroline Criado Perez.

We've launched this hub to gather and highlight the data, analysis and tools that we - and many others - are developing to accelerate progress in women’s health R&D. We aim to inform the decisions and support the activities of funders, policy makers, product developers and advocates to improve women’s health outcomes globally, particularly those in LMICs.

Please explore this suite of resources we've put together, and please let us know your questions and challenges in understanding the landscape of women's health R&D.

Only 2
drugs have been developed specifically for pregnancy-related conditions since the 1990s
24%
of women in sub-Saharan African countries are affected by unmet contraceptive needs

Spotlight on the gender bias in R&D

Explore our analyses to get the full picture on how gender bias shapes global health R&D and affects how women's needs are recognised and addressed - often sub-optimally .

Woman in blanket on couch

Unveiling the hidden crisis in women’s health: a deep dive into women’s pain, endometriosis & uterine fibroids

Despite chronic pain conditions which are exclusive to women, such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids, women’s pain is frequently misdiagnosed, underestimated or dismissed...
Read more

Bridging the gap: advancing inclusive research for pregnant and lactating women in global health R&D

Pregnant and lactating women have long been excluded from clinical research. This report seeks to characterise the extent of the evidence gap, focusing on HIV/AIDS, malaria and...
Read more

The Drug Drought in Maternal Health: an Ongoing Predicament

We publish in The Lancet Global Health on the striking lack of innovation for pregnancy-related conditions
Read more
Drawing of women for world menopause day

Our commitment to bridging the gender health data gap: reflections on World Menopause Day

Menopause is yet another female specific health issue for which product development is needed to empower individuals to make choices about their health, have options and receive...
Read more

Snapshot of the R&D landscape of postpartum haemorrhage devices (2000-2023)

An up-to-date snapshot of the R&D landscape for PPH devices
Read more

Contraception R&D: Broadening Horizons To Meet A Diversity Of Needs

Despite a stagnant funding landscape, this snapshot reveals encouraging trends in human-centred design of contraceptive innovations.
Read more
Event

World Health Summit 2024

13-15 October 2024, Berlin, Germany

We partnered with UNFPA at the World Health Summit as they established the WomenX Collective. In a session called Taking the Pulse of Women-Centric R&D Investment: Slow, Steady, or Accelerating? we gave a sneak preview of our latest findings on the gender bias in women's health R&D. We looked at how to accelerate an innovation pipeline that meets the needs of women.

Bookmark this hub and return to see the outcomes of this session.

Gender bias in R&D image
"Research on women’s health has been underfunded for decades, and many conditions that mostly or only affect women, or affect women differently, have received little to no attention”

Jill Biden, First Lady of the United States

All resources in this hub

Drawing of women for world menopause day

5 min read

Our commitment to bridging the gender health data gap: reflections on World Menopause Day

Menopause is yet another female specific health issue for which product development is needed to empower individuals to make choices about their health, have options and receive the support they need.

CecileDr Cécile Ventola18 Oct 2024
Pregnant woman with striped dress

10 min read

Bridging the gap: advancing inclusive research for pregnant and lactating women in global health R&D

Pregnant and lactating women have long been excluded from clinical research. This report seeks to characterise the extent of the evidence gap, focusing on HIV/AIDS, malaria and Zika.

Harriet BellImpact Global Health 15 Oct 2024
Woman in blanket on couch

10 min read

Unveiling the hidden crisis in women’s health: a deep dive into women’s pain, endometriosis & uterine fibroids

Despite chronic pain conditions which are exclusive to women, such as endometriosis and uterine fibroids, women’s pain is frequently misdiagnosed, underestimated or dismissed altogether.

Harriet BellImpact Global Health 15 Oct 2024
orange dot and cross and components over a grid creme background

20 min read

The Drug Drought in Maternal Health: an Ongoing Predicament

We publish in The Lancet Global Health on the striking lack of innovation for pregnancy-related conditions

Impact Global Health logoPolicy Cures Research (now Impact Global Health) 1 July 2024
An illustration of a mother holding a newborn baby

20 min read

Landscape of Diagnostics Development for Preterm Labour, Pre-eclampsia & Intrauterine Growth Restriction

With PTL, PE and IUGR still posing major health threats mothers and babies, this report is encouraged to see a relatively large number of diagnostics being developed or refined for use

Impact Global Health logoPolicy Cures Research (now Impact Global Health) 1 May 2024
Cover of G-FINDER 2020 SRH report

20 min read

European Investment in Sexual & Reproductive Health R&D: Steady Overall but Room to Grow

This snapshot offers insights into European R&D funding from 2018 to 2022 for sexual & reproductive health issues.

Impact Global Health logoPolicy Cures Research (now Impact Global Health) 15 Feb 2024
Illustration of hand with drip inserted, on pregnant belly

20 min read

Research & Development Landscape for Maternal Iron Deficiency Anaemia Medicines (2000-2023)

This report covers insights into the R&D landscape for maternal iron deficiency anaemia medicines and looks at the impact on levels of anaemia globally.

Impact Global Health logoPolicy Cures Research (now Impact Global Health) 1 Jan 2024
An illustration of a foetus inside the womb surrounded by microbiomes

20 min read

Research & Development Landscape for Maternal Enteric Microbiome Medicines (2000-2023)

This report suggests the interventions which target the maternal enteric microbiome can improve maternal and infant health outcomes.

Impact Global Health logoPolicy Cures Research (now Impact Global Health) 1 Jan 2024
Cover of the G-FINDER SRH 2023 report

45 min read

G-FINDER 2023 Sexual & Reproductive Health Research & Development report: Beyond Spillovers

The 2023 report on investment in R&D for reproductive, sexual, maternal or women's health issues produced through the G-FINDER project

Impact Global Health logoPolicy Cures Research (now Impact Global Health) 11 Oct 2023

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