Although women comprise half of the world’s population, fewer than 1 in 10 dollars of private health care investment goes to women’s health. Just three areas -- women's cancers, reproductive health and maternal health – account for 90% of this already limited funding.
“Men's health has long been the default baseline for research and product development, with clinical standards, trial designs and innovation pipelines often calibrated to male physiology and needs," said Shyam Bishen, head of the Center for Health and Healthcare at the World Economic Forum. "This approach systematically sidelines conditions that affect women uniquely, differently or disproportionately, leaving critical areas underfunded, under-researched and underserved."
Bishan’s organization partnered with Boston Consulting Group to produce the first Women’s Health Investment Outlook, which aims to better understand the investment landscape and opportunities in women's health. Despite living longer than men, women spend 25% more time in poor health or with a disability. This reflects the cumulative impact of conditions that affect women uniquely (biologically specific), differently (with distinct symptoms or disease progression) or disproportionately (at higher rates than men), eroding not just well-being but workforce participation.
Moreover, the narrow focus of investment in women's health issues means other high-prevalence conditions that affect women and put a significant strain on health systems have been underfunded for many years. These include cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, menopause and Alzheimer's. These four areas alone represent a potential market of more than $100 billion by 2030 if all women received the standard of care.
"The good news is that investment momentum is building,” said Trish Stroman, managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group. “Investors now see women's health as a growth frontier, not just a niche. The in-vitro fertilization market exemplifies this, showing how aligning science and technology breakthroughs with rising demand and reimbursement certainty can unlock a high-growth industry."
To replicate this success, the report suggests collaborative efforts to expand the evidence base in women's health and increase transparency around outcomes and economic returns. Additional recommendations include reducing investment risk through blended financing from public, private and philanthropic sources. The report also urges industry players in related areas to expand into women's health. Extending reimbursement for treatments and modernizing regulatory frameworks also can lower entry barriers for new initiatives.
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