Trend in the News: Innovative Tech Is Closing the Gender Gap in Medical Research
Week of May 25, 2022
Can femtech close the gender health gap?–Maddyness UK
An overview of how medicine has long neglected female anatomy—and how femtech startups are now working to close the research gap by using tech to collect data on women, for women. Wild.AI collects data on users’ menstrual cycles to create an optimized “training plan” and set of tools to work with their periods and not against them. The author notes that while femtech achieved a milestone in 2021—raising over $1 billion from global venture capitalists—there is a very long way to go in closing the research gap.
Apple women’s health study links polycystic ovary syndrome to other serious health conditions–CNET
Apple recently released new findings from its ongoing Women’s Health study, a partnership with the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health which lets AppleWatch and iPhone users opt into research studies. One of the first studies to examine the connection between menstrual health, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and heart health at a population level (37,000 participants), it found that users with a PCOS diagnosis were far more likely to experience irregular periods, three times more likely to have type 2 diabetes, four times more likely to have prediabetes, and nearly twice as likely to have high blood pressure or cholesterol.
How new science and innovative data-gathering in Israel are improving women’s health– Israel21C
In Israel, 90 of the 130 startups targeting women are focused on health—whether around breastfeeding, oncology, pelvic health, fertility and pregnancy, or wellness. So, it’s no surprise that Israeli femtech companies are pioneers in tackling the women’s research gap. Gina Life, which tests vaginal fluids so doctors can have more biological information to predict gynecological issues for women, will launch a new pad in 2025 that tests fluids during a woman’s cycle and checks for signs of conditions ranging from cancerous ovarian and cervical tumors to ovulation problems and endometriosis. Read for more examples of Israeli innovations.
Houston innovator taps into tech to give women a holistic platform for health and wellness–Innovation Map
An article on FemTec Health (and podcast with its CEO, serial health entrepreneur, Kimon Angelides) on how the company aims to provide a comprehensive health and wellness platform for women. The company prioritizes lab research and data to identify specific biomarkers that can indicate more optimized treatment for everything from in vitro fertilization (IVF) and vaginal health to the best skincare based on genetics and hormones. They’re now analyzing medical claims data from 44 million women over a six-year period and using predictive analytics to find out what some key digital markers are.
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