The systemic marginalisation of women's health demands in healthcare design, delivery, and data is a fact that is being ignored in the fight for health justice. The systems intended to care for women frequently fail, even though they comprise more than half of the world's population and make 80% of healthcare choices in households.
At Modality Global Advisors, we think that addressing these systemic blind spots and creating more intelligent, data-driven systems that prioritise the needs of women is the first step towards attaining health equity.
The Gender Gap in Modern Healthcare: Why It Matters
- After a heart attack, women are 50% more likely to receive the incorrect diagnosis.
- Endometriosis takes an average of 7–10 years to diagnose, leading to years of pain and disrupted lives.
- Women are still underrepresented in clinical research, particularly those from different racial and economic backgrounds.
These statistics underscore a troubling reality: healthcare systems are failing women at every stage.
Unpacking the Bias
Research Gaps: The “Male Norm” in Clinical Trials
Medical research has long centered male bodies as the default, leading to systemic gaps in care. Despite biological differences, women make up just 34% of participants in major clinical trials (FDA Report), resulting in treatments that may not reflect female-specific responses or outcomes.
Dismissed and Misdiagnosed Pain
Women’s pain is too often labeled as psychological or overstated. Chronic conditions like fibromyalgia, PCOS, and various autoimmune disorders frequently face delayed diagnoses because women’s symptoms are minimized or misunderstood by clinicians.
Overlooked Mental Health Needs
Women are twice as likely as men to experience anxiety and depression (WHO), yet their mental health is rarely addressed through gender-informed lenses. Factors such as hormonal shifts, caregiving burdens, and societal pressures are often ignored in conventional care models.
Rebuilding Healthcare with Women at the Center: Actionable Solutions
Reimagining Research Through a Gender Lens
It's time to retire the "male default." Equal representation in clinical trials must become standard, not optional. We need increased funding and focus on conditions like endometriosis, menopause, and maternal health, which have historically been overlooked in research agendas.
Rewiring Clinical Practice to Recognize Bias
Bias isn't always loud, but its impact is loud and clear. Provider training programs must actively dismantle outdated assumptions that downplay women’s symptoms. Emphasizing empathy, active listening, and diagnostic rigor can close the gap in treatment delays and misdiagnoses.
Making Women-Centered Care the Norm, Not the Exception
Women’s health doesn’t begin and end with OB/GYN. From mental health to chronic disease management, care models must integrate services that reflect women’s unique life stages. This includes expanding telehealth, community outreach, and culturally competent maternal care.
Driving Change from Policy to Practice
Real progress demands bold policy. We need stronger funding for women's health research, legislative support for equitable care, and more women shaping decisions in leadership roles. When women lead, systems listen, and healthcare improves for everyone.
Why We Can’t Afford to Wait: The High Cost of Ignoring Women’s Health
- $500 billion+ in annual productivity losses in the U.S. alone due to untreated or mismanaged women’s health conditions.
- $3 trillion potential boost to global GDP by 2030, if gender gaps in health and workforce participation are addressed.
Modality Global Advisors: Driving Gender Equity by Design
We assist stakeholders, companies, and health systems investigating the frontier of gene editing in the following ways:
- Regulatory and Ethical Planning: Helping businesses integrate new technologies with ethical best practices and international standards.
- Equity by Design: Making sure that public communications, rollout strategies, and clinical trial designs incorporate accessibility, openness, and inclusiveness.
- Risk Mitigation Strategy: Evaluate the implementation's social, economic, and clinical risks using scenario planning and predictive analytics.
- Cross-Sector Collaboration: Encouraging discussion among payers, patients, researchers, and legislators to create common objectives and governance frameworks.
The Way Forward: A Call to Action
Breaking bias in healthcare isn’t just about fairness, it’s about saving lives. By redesigning systems to center women’s needs, we can:
- Reduce misdiagnoses and preventable deaths
- Improve the quality of life for millions
- Create a more equitable and effective healthcare model
At Modality Global Advisors, we believe in transforming healthcare through innovation and inclusivity. The future of medicine must be designed for women, by women, and with women at the forefront.
Want to explore how we can help your system become more inclusive?
Visit Modality Global Advisors – Insights or reach out to schedule a consultation.