What’s Next for Women’s Health? Highlights from this year’s FemHealth Integrates in Manchester
Last week’s FemHealth Integrates Conference in Manchester brought together leaders across healthcare, research, investment, and technology—all with a shared goal: improving health outcomes for women.
It was a day full of insight, urgency, and opportunity. From regional healthcare disparities to underrepresentation in clinical trials, the sessions surfaced the systemic challenges still shaping women’s health today—and where the future is headed.
For those working in Healthcare Marketing, the message is clear: the thought process around the design and communication surrounding women’s health. Advanced Data Science and AI have a crucial role to play in helping teams connect siloed information, surface unmet needs, and shape inclusive strategies that reflect the full Patient journey.
5 Key Takeaways from the Conference
1. Health Outcomes Still Vary by Location
The opening panel spotlighted the ongoing divide between North and South England, where women in the North experience poorer health outcomes overall. According to the Nuffield Trust, “people in the North have a 20% higher premature mortality rate than those in the South”—a gap that reflects broader regional inequalities in access, resources, and support. Events like FemHealth Integrates are essential in encouraging collaboration across regions—and in highlighting the role of innovation hubs like Bruntwood SciTech in closing these gaps.
2. Clinical Trial Representation Is Still Skewed
Despite some progress, clinical trials remain heavily male-dominated. It wasn’t until “1986, that the policy to exclude women from clinical research was revisited. And in 1993, the U.S. Congress passed a law requiring the inclusion of women in clinical research”. In some cases, ratios can be as stark as 1 woman to 50 men—with data often pooled in a way that masks sex-specific differences. More inclusive recruitment, better outreach to underrepresented communities, and structural changes (like compensating for time or caregiving responsibilities) are all needed. There’s also a clear data science opportunity: smarter trial design, more targeted recruitment, and tracking outcomes that reflect real-world diversity.
3. Investment Disparities Hold Back Progress
Only 15% of angel investors are women, and half are based in London. This concentration of capital creates barriers for female founders across the UK and Europe—especially in FemTech. But shifting political climates in the US may open new avenues for international investment. With women-led businesses more likely to tackle female-focused issues, rebalancing investment isn’t just good ethics—it’s smart strategy.
4. Siloed Health Data Limits Insight
Women’s health data is often segmented by life stage—adolescence, reproductive years, menopause—rather than treated as a continuous journey. For Healthcare Marketers, there’s an opportunity here: using Advanced Data Science and AI through a unified vault to stitch together insights across the full life course, surfacing more nuanced and personalised approaches to care. According to The Lancet Commission on Women, Power, and Health, investing in integrated, life-course approaches to women’s health can reduce morbidity and mortality, improve quality of life, and generate significant economic returns.
5. Culture Change Starts with Intentionality
Organizations from startups to Pharma giants are driving internal culture shifts—from equal parental leave to transparent pay structures. These changes don’t just improve workplace equity—they signal what kind of company is behind the healthcare solution. In a world where Patients are consumers and trust matters, brand values have never been more relevant.
Why This Matters for Healthcare Marketing
The future of FemTech—and women’s health more broadly—depends on better data, better representation, and better strategy. For Healthcare Marketers, this means shifting from symptom-based messaging to journey-based narratives. It means building campaigns informed by real-world data and AI-driven insights. And it means challenging long-held assumptions around whose stories get told—and how.
The foundations are in place. The data is there. Now’s the time to build something better.
