GLOBAL CONNECTIONS
ADVANCING WOMEN’S HEALTH
GOAL: Create a network of government officials, funders, health system influencers, and women’s health charities/non-profits to connect leaders from countries recognized for leadership in women’s health to countries where women are more at risk and women’s health is underserved.
The root causes of the
WOMEN’S HEALTH GAP:
Science: The study of human biology defaults to the male body, resulting in fewer treatments for women.
Data: Health burdens for women are systematically underestimated and data sets incomplete.
Care Delivery: Women are more likely to face barriers to care, delayed diagnosis and suboptimal treatment.
Investment: Lower investment and less understanding
of gender differences limits data to de-risk new
investment.
WOMEN ARE LIVING LONGER BUT
SPEND 25% MORE OF THEIR LIVES
IN DEBILITATING HEALTH
IN 2019-2023, 11 START-UPS ADDRESSING
ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION SECURED $1.24
BILLION, WHILE 8 STARTS-UPS FOR
ENDOMETRIOSIS RECEIVED $44 MILLION.
HEALTH RESEARCH
As of 2015, there were five times more scientific studies on erectile dysfunction
than premenstrual syndrome.
Women are twice as likely to die from a heart attack than men and seven times more likely to have a heart condition misdiagnosed or be discharged during a heart attack. Yet, women represent just one-third of participants in clinical trials aiming to treat cardiovasuclar disease.
GYNECOLOGICAL HEALTH
500 million people worldwide lack access to menstrual products and hygiene
facilities.
450 million women worldwide suffer from menopause or peri-menopause symptoms and their needs are barely addressed.
Only 36% of women worldwide have been screened for cervical cancer in their lifetime.
Gynaecological conditions, affecting up to 68% of women, have only 26 asssets in the pipeline, as compared to approximately 300 in women-specific cancers.
MEDICATION RISKS
Healthcare professionals report 4.4 million serious or fatal medicine related events for women vs 3.8 million for men.
When women are not included in research, medicines are likely to be withdrawn due to safety risks 3.5 times more as compared to when men are
included.
Since 2000, women in the US reported adverse events from approved medicines 52% more frequently than men - with fatal events 36% more
frequently.
INSURANCE BIAS
US co-pay rates show women paying $135 more out-of-pocket expenses per year compared to men.
Indian private insurers employ gender-based premiums, leading to higher expenses for women.
Insurance costs are higher for women’s health. A Swiss study showed that a 31-year-old woman pays 37% more than a man.
