STAT

Opinion: The biotech industry needs to pay more attention to women’s health

The biotech industry must take note at how slowly progress has been made in women's health to date and help pave the way for increased innovation.
The birth control pill has long been seen as a "good enough" contraceptive option. But many women are eager to find longer-acting and more convenient options.

Even as new forms of contraception, fertility treatments, and therapies for vaginal health are emerging, there is a dearth of investment in women’s health. Despite a slew of initial public offerings and new players, including Agile, Daré, Juniper, Myovant, and ObsEva over the past few years, women’s biotech isn’t yet on everyone’s radar.

Per capita spending on women’s health was 24 percent more than spending on men’s health in 2015. Yet investment in women’s health startups is measured in millions of dollars, not billions, and  or so of venture capital investment goes to women-led companies.

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