Margo Warren
Director of Government Engagement & Policy, Access to Medicine Foundation
Women continue to be left behind in healthcare access and innovation worldwide.
Addressing this is critical for health equity. But it also presents a significant business opportunity.
Women’s healthcare gaps
Across low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), women face major barriers to accessing healthcare.
Around 1.8 billion women in these countries are affected by at least one disease or condition within the scope of the Access to Medicine Foundation’s research,including maternal health conditions, infectious diseases and cancers.1
Despite this need, women continue to suffer and die from preventable and treatable conditions as access challenges persist.
Access not the only issue
Women’s health priorities remain underfunded in R&D, and women, particularly those pregnant and lactating, are poorly represented in clinical trials. This limits our understanding of how health products affect women. It also delays the development of solutions that address their unique health needs and restricts the benefits of interventions during vulnerable periods.
women’s health can no longer be treated as a niche issue – it must be recognised as a global priority for innovation, access and investment
Serving women is good business
Ensuring that women everywhere can access quality treatments and care is fundamental to advancing health equity, while presenting a clear business opportunity.
Women make up half the world’s population, yet women’s health issues remain under-researched and underserved. For companies, investing in women’s health represents a significant opportunity for market growth — both in high-income countries and through business models that expand access in lower-income countries.
Driving action on women’s health
Companies can reach more women through affordable healthcare products and services, while investing in R&D to address product gaps and offer better solutions for women’s health issues. Doing so can improve health outcomes for women while unlocking business opportunities.
Understanding how companies respond to these challenges and where gaps remain is critical to advancing women’s health. Later this year, the 10th iteration of the Access to Medicine Indexwill include new findings on women’s health, providing insights into how companies can do more.
For meaningful change, women’s health can no longer be treated as a niche issue – it must be recognised as a global priority for innovation, access and investment.
[1] Modelled estimate based on available disease burden data converted into an estimated number of people affected
