The BMJ Group says women's health is not a niche issue. It is fundamental to global health and prosperity. Women outlive men, yet spend 25% more time in poor health, facing conditions that affect them disproportionately or uniquely. Despite comprising half the world’s population, women in all their diversity remain underrepresented in global research and innovation. Just 1% of healthcare research and development (R&D) is invested in female-specific conditions beyond oncology.
The new ”BMJ Collection on women's health innovation”, the publisher says developed in partnership with the Gates Foundation, examines how equitable innovation can transform women’s health. Rather than a conventional report or white paper, the Collection of original articles brings together evidence and expertise to outline steps for embedding equity into research, technology, policy, and leadership, ensuring future innovation and advances are designed for women's needs and realities.
Drawing on contributions from experts in 14 countries across six continents, the publisher says the Collection explores how advances in data science, artificial intelligence, regulatory reform, decolonial thinking, and women’s leadership can close the women’s health gap, from cervical cancer screening in low-income settings to clinical trials that reflect women’s bodies. The articles span six domains identified in the Women’s Health Innovation Opportunity Map, examining how progress in data, research design, policy, social determinants, leadership, and careers can improve health outcomes.
The challenge remains stark, BMJ Group continued. Only 5% of global health R&D targets female-specific conditions, and women continue to be underrepresented in clinical research, limiting the effectiveness and safety of many treatments. They make up 70% of the health workforce but hold just a quarter of leadership roles, and even proven tools such as the HPV vaccine fail to reach millions due to systemic inequities, with 90% of cervical cancer deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.
This Collection argues that technology alone cannot solve these inequities. Without attention to context, affordability, political environments, and systemic barriers, even proven innovations fail to reach those most in need, and poorly designed digital tools risk reinforcing inequalities rather than reducing them.
The BMJ’s International Editor and editorial lead for this special collection, Dr Jocalyn Clark, said: “We will close out 2025 in defiance of how it began, by championing the fact that women, in all their diversities, are not passive to political tides but powerful agents of change. Their leadership will strengthen women’s health, innovation, rights, and the entire global health ecosystem. But sustaining that momentum, especially amid shrinking public budgets, will require continued support from government, civil society, philanthropy and business to fuel the wave of innovation women’s health so urgently needs.”
Keep up-to-date with publishing news: sign up here for InPubWeekly, our free weekly e-newsletter.
