International Women’s Day

Accelerating women’s health innovation in Europe

Women continue to face persistent health inequalities throughout their lives, shaped by longstanding gaps in research, data and investment. Historically, women have been underrepresented in clinical trials and health datasets, influencing how diseases are understood, diagnosed and treated. As a result, healthcare innovation has not always fully reflected women’s biological and health needs.

A new paper published by the European Policy Centre, with contributions from EIT Health, highlights the urgent need to accelerate progress in women’s health across Europe. The publication calls for stronger policy action, improved data collection, and increased investment to ensure that healthcare innovation better reflects the diversity of patients.

Among its key recommendations are strengthening public private partnerships to support women’s health innovation, leveraging the European Health Data Space to address gender gaps in health data, and advancing inclusive digital health solutions that take women’s specific needs into account.

The paper also emphasises the importance of ensuring that women are adequately represented in clinical research and emerging healthcare technologies. More representative data and inclusive innovation can support better diagnostics, more effective treatments and improved health outcomes across Europe.

At EIT Health, supporting inclusive healthcare innovation is a core priority. Through its programmes and partnerships, EIT Health works with innovators and entrepreneurs to develop solutions that address unmet needs in healthcare including initiatives that contribute to advancing women’s health.

These efforts align with broader European policy discussions, including the upcoming update of the EU’s Gender Equality Strategy, which will further shape the future of inclusive healthcare and innovation in Europe.