Neglected Populations

A historic one-size-fits-all approach, largely based on the needs and physiologies of men, has contributed to countless gaps in care. Women and children have been excluded from medical research, creating enormous blind spots in understanding, and conditions that primarily affect women or children are largely underfunded and deprioritized.

Pregnancy and childbirth can pose outsized dangers

Without access to screening tools, treatments and preventive medicines, women in low- and middle-income countries are at disproportionate risk from preventable, treatable complications in pregnancy and during birth.

Children are not small adults

Diagnostic tests developed for adults are often not sensitive enough to identify disease in children and medicines and other treatment devices must be adapted to ensure they are safe, effective and palatable for the youngest and most vulnerable, while additional investigation is necessary to guide correct dosing. Without additional funding and attention, children often go undiagnosed and untreated for preventable, treatable diseases.

Gender inequality

The unequal societal treatment of women and girls often means they have less control over decisions about their bodies and undermines their access to health information and critical health care services, while also overlooking conditions or diseases that mainly affect women and girls.