Economics of Women's Health: Why Less Than 5% of Funding Goes to Women's Diseases

According to the World Health Organization and major analytics firms, less than 5% of global medical research spending is directed toward diseases that predominantly affect women. Endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, postpartum depression, autoimmune disorders — these conditions affect hundreds of millions of women yet remain chronically underfunded.

The causes of this imbalance are deeply structural. Historically, clinical trials were conducted predominantly on men — even laboratory mice were more often male. The argument was that female hormonal cycles "complicated" the data. As a result, we have medications, dosages, and treatment protocols optimized for the male body, while side effects in women are often discovered only after a drug reaches the market.

The economic consequences of this gap are enormous. McKinsey estimates that closing the gender gap in healthcare could add up to 1 trillion dollars to global GDP by 2040. Women who receive adequate treatment are more productive, take fewer sick days, and remain in the workforce longer. Investing in women's health is not charity — it is an economically sound strategy.

In recent years the FemTech movement has emerged — technology startups focused on women's health. The FemTech market is valued at tens of billions of dollars and grows at 15-20% annually. But this is not enough without systemic changes in government funding and regulatory policy.