Today, women still suffer worse health outcomes than men in many scenarios. They experience higher mortality rates after a heart attack, poorer self-reported health due to chronic conditions, and significant economic disadvantages that, paired with adverse life experiences, contribute to higher prevalence of mental health issues. We can identify multiple root-causes of this systemic problem: neglecting the effects of sex and gender in health research, chronic under investment in health conditions that affect women uniquely or disproportionately, and societal attitudes that undermine and diminish women’s health concerns as secondary, incidental or imagined. The result is not solely due to inequity – it is a product of healthcare systems built on blind spots.
Bridging the gender gap in access to health requires a multifaceted approach, but one thing is clear: women-driven discoveries and patents are more likely than men’s to tackle women’s health, yet fewer women lead in innovation, research and healthcare. According to a recent publication in Science, “the inventor gender gap is partially responsible for thousands of missing female-focused inventions since 1976”. Sadly, today’s numbers are far from promising. While women are in charge of 67% of paid global healthcare activities and 76% of all unpaid care activities, they only represent 26% of leadership positions in healthcare. Unfortunately, and despite the lack of transparent data on the matter, women’s academic careers follow a concerning mirrored trajectory. Women are over represented in health science classrooms, earn their doctoral degrees at similar rates to men, yet remain drastically underrepresented in tenure-track positions and governing boards.
Science and healthcare are at a pivotal moment where gender equity must be at the forefront of progress.
This newsletter examines the undeniable impact of women in science – those who pioneer vaccines, lead digital health revolutions, and challenge outdated models of research, while confronting barriers that continue to hold them back.
From the structural inequalities that limit women’s influence in scientific decision-making, to the urgent need for gender-balanced policies in digital health, we examine the systemic shifts required to ensure that women are not just present, but leading the way. The pieces within highlight how greater representation of women in STEM fields fosters more inclusive healthcare solutions, how mentorship and visibility empower the next generation, what’s lost when women’s leadership is sidelined, and why breaking the leadership gap is essential to driving transformative change. Women are already shaping the future of science and healthcare, but their full impact depends on breaking down the barriers that still stand in their way. Ensuring access, recognition, and leadership opportunities is not just a matter of fairness, it’s essential for progress. The challenge ahead is clear: will the world continue to restrain women’s potential, or will it finally embrace its true value?