Olivia Friett, editor of European Pharmaceutical Manufacturer discusses women's health and the gap in the industry.
It still surprises me how often women’s health is treated as an afterthought in the wider life sciences conversation. Yet in recent years, I’ve seen that start to shift, thanks to innovators determined to close the gap and make women’s health a priority.
Historically, women’s health has been under-researched, underfunded, and often misunderstood. The consequences of that are clear - from late diagnoses of conditions like endometriosis to limited options for menopause care. But new voices and technologies are changing the narrative. A new generation of innovators are making sure women’s health finally gets the attention it deserves. And pharma, with its resources and influence, has a chance to help accelerate that change.
It’s no secret that women’s health hasn’t always been given the attention it deserves. But it’s great to see how femtech is changing that.
The recent partnership between Tasso and SheMed now allows UK women to carry out at-home blood testing to personalise GLP-1 treatments. It’s a simple but significant step and a clear reminder that healthcare should adapt to women’s lives, not the other way around.
And then there’s Medherant, whose Phase 1 clinical trial of a testosterone patch for post-menopausal women has shown promising results. For a group that’s long been underserved in hormone therapy, this development marks real progress.
These examples capture the energy behind femtech today - a space where digital tools, diagnostics, and drug delivery innovation all intersect. It’s about making women’s health more accessible, data-driven, and genuinely responsive. And perhaps most importantly, it’s proof that when women’s health is prioritised, everyone benefits.
Pharma now has a real opportunity to build on this momentum. The innovation coming from femtech start-ups is exciting, but to make lasting change, it needs the scale, resources, and expertise that only the pharmaceutical industry can bring. Imagine what could happen if that creativity met the global reach and scientific depth of pharma.
It’s already starting, in small but significant ways, such as partnerships, investment in R&D, and the inclusion of women’s health in broader research strategies. But there’s room to go further. From supporting clinical trials that better reflect women’s biology to funding next-generation digital diagnostics, pharma can help turn promising concepts into real, regulated treatments that reach the people who need them most.
What’s clear is that women’s health isn’t a niche, it’s integral to how we think about healthcare as a whole. By embracing that, pharma isn’t just doing the right thing ethically; it’s also investing in an area full of potential.
As femtech continues to challenge old assumptions, pharma has a chance to turn progress into permanence - ensuring women’s health isn’t a side note, but a central chapter in medical innovation.