FemTech support needed to address health inequities
It found FemTech attracts more female entrepreneurs, and explores how improved support for women's health innovation could address health inequities.
FemTech is the term used to describe products and technology services aimed at addressing women's health issues.
"One of the things that has happened in the last couple of years is there's a realisation that for a number of historical reasons, including excluding women from clinical trials, that we need to do more research into conditions that affect women only," said Dr Tanya Mulcahy, Director of Health Innovation Hub Ireland and founder of FemTech Ireland Dr Tanya Mulcahy.
"We've also found that there are conditions that affect women differently to men, but we haven't done the research to understand that.
"If we do that, we'll find more clues to creating better solutions for both women and men.
"But importantly, there are so many conditions that affect women that we really need to address, and we haven't.
Globally, FemTech is projected to exceed €60 billion by 2027—but only a small fraction of health research funding and investment currently targets female-specific health conditions.
The sector attracts more female entrepreneurs with 75% of FemTech companies being founded by women.
"The women that come into us with new ideas and new solutions, they're passionate about this because they've experienced conditions themselves, realise there's no solutions out there, or they know someone, a family member that's experienced something that's affected them," said Dr Mulcahy.
The report is based on two years of work through FemTech at the Health Innovation Hub Ireland, the first Irish programme focused on supporting innovation in women's health.
Since launching in 2022, the initiative has supported over 30 Irish start-ups developing products to improve women's health—from wearable tech to track menopause symptoms, to smarter devices for pelvic health and fertility.
The report also has specific calls to action to drive the growth and development of the FemTech sector in Ireland.
· Specific funding for research into women's health conditions;
· More support for Irish start-ups developing women's health solutions;
· A national FemTech space where innovators can work with patients and doctors;
· Changes to how medical research is done, to include and understand women better.
"We are witnessing extraordinary advances in healthcare technology and innovation" said Professor John R Higgins, PI of Health Innovation Hub Ireland and Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University College Cork and Cork University Maternity Hospital.
"In women's health however, a longstanding gap in research has meant that these innovations have not always translated into meaningful solutions," said Prof Higgins.
"This gap in evidence directly impacts the development of technologies. Now is the time to bridge that divide—with focused funding, targeted research, and innovation supports."
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