Issue #69 – Women’s Health: Beyond the Trends and Controversies

Hello and welcome to the 69th edition of your go-to source for weekly updates on women’s health innovation and FemTech.

Happy Friday,  ✨

According to recent data from Google Trends, the search term ‘Cervical Cancer’ reached its peak in India last Friday, highlighting a growing concern about this health issue in our country. It’s important to note that the significance of cervical cancer and the need for awareness extend beyond just women; the HPV vaccine holds critical importance for young men as well.

As we delve into the latest trends and issues surrounding women’s health, one question emerges: do negative marketing campaigns, like the recent faking your own death initiative, truly necessary to effectively raise awareness and position women’s health in the public eye? 

I invite you to share your perspectives on whether such extreme measures are warranted in the pursuit of promoting health awareness and empowering individuals to take control of their health. 

Thank you for being a part of our community. It’s important for us to foster constructive dialogue on important health-related topics.

Join us in this conversation as we work together to raise awareness and promote health literacy. 

Your friend 

Navneet

• Piscium, an innovative nanotechnology startup specialising in medical devices, has raised Rs 6 crore in Series A round led by Unicorn India Ventures.
• Healthtech platform Neodocs, that builds smartphone-based health-test kits, has raised $2 million in a seed funding round led by Omidyar Network India, Y Combinator and 9 Unicorns, among others.
• Plant-based health and nutrition supplement brand, Earthful, on Friday announced that it has raised Rs 3.3 crore in a funding round led by Green Ivy Venture.

• Domma, a menopause research, treatment and support startup, has closed a financing round of €950k, between a capital increase and debt, which highlights the growth and potential of the company.
• The San Francisco-based pregnancy care platform Aster has raised US$2.4m in pre-seed funding to “redefine” maternal health.
• The UK consumer health platform Unfabled has raised US$1.6m in funding to address the gender health gap. Founded in 2021 by Hannah Samano, Unfabled is a health platform that offers sustainable health and wellness products for women.
• Helsingborg-based Acorai, a startup medical device manufacturer from Sweden, has announced closing an oversubscribed €4.1 million seed round led by Solardis Health Ventures.

• Budget 2024 highlights – Incentivising cervical cancer vaccinations for girls aged 9-14. Extending Ayushman Bharat coverage to ASHA and Anganwadi workers. The integration of maternal and child healthcare schemes into a cohesive program
• SBI General Insurance has partnered with IIT Madras through the CSR initiative. The program aims to empower the development of a Thermal Therapy Device aims to revolutionise the treatment landscape for breast cancer patients.
• The International Agency for Research on Cancer, released the latest estimates of the global burden of cancer. WHO also published survey results from 115 countries, showing a majority of countries do not adequately finance priority cancer and palliative care services, as part of universal health coverage (UHC).
• The PHFI and WomenLift Health have launches a strategic collaboration to introduce WLPH, a leadership development program for women scientists, fostering greater inclusivity in India’s public health research ecosystem.
• The Asian Coalition for Health Empowerment (ACHE) spotlights India’s concerning surge in cancer cases. Recent data reveals an alarming 1.4 million recorded cases in 2022, marking India as a hotspot for this life-threatening disease. ACHE expresses deep concern, particularly about modifiable risk factors, with tobacco emerging as a significant contributor to the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
• One of the most common IVF add-ons undertaken globally could be a “waste of time”, a new study has found. The research found that intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), whereby a single sperm is injected directly into a mature egg, could be an expensive waste of time, in some cases even reducing the chances of success.
• A test, which uses circulating tumour DNA to detect and quantify cancer left in the body, has been validated in endometrial cancer. The US clinical genetic testing company Natera has announced that a new study validated its Signatera “personalised” blood test in endometrial cancer.
• Glenmark Pharmaceuticals and Ichnos Sciences has announced the launch of their alliance – Ichnos Glenmark Innovation (IGI) to accelerate new drug discovery in cancer treatment.

• Hologic wins FDA clearance for AI-enabled cervical cancer screening system. The product creates digital images of Pap test slides and uses an AI algorithm to identify cells for review.
• Inherent Biosciences and Genomic Prediction have announced a new commercial partnership to integrate Inherent Biosciences’ Epigenetic Sperm Quality Test (SpermQT), into Genomic Prediction’s clinical laboratory tests, focusing on male reproductive health.
• Lola, a period care brand known for its organic, cotton tampons, pads and other sanitary products, has been sold to aggregator Forum Brands. 

• Lactamo has been announced as the recipient of a significant grant from the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources.
• Sirona has been introduced as the Feminine Hygiene Partner of Ignisense, as part of the Symbiosis University’s Management and Cultural Event.
• PeeSafe is part of the Gifting and Stationery Exhibition 2024, being held at HITEX Exhibition Centre, in Hyderabad.
• Veira Life published a thought ware on 8 tips for return to work after parental leave.
• The Momly participated in a Women-driven tech leadership summit hosted by NASSCOM.
• Miyara published a thought ware on Managing midlife and menopause systems.

• The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has notified inclusion of antiviral drugs Oseltamivir and Zanamivir into the Schedule H1 of the Drug Rules, 1945, allowing the retailers to store and sell the drug against prescription by maintaining a separate record for the details of the particular sales.
• The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) organized an insightful ‘Awareness Program on NABL Accreditation for Medical Imaging Facilities’ in Mahipalpur, Delhi recently.
• The Government of Andhra Pradesh is poised to make history by becoming the first state government in the country to invite applications from qualified Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm D) graduates to fill up vacancies of Clinical Pharmacist (CP) posts in institutions under the health and family welfare department.

• I’m an Adult. Why Am I Getting Acne? Pimples can pop up at any age, experts say. But at-home treatments can help.
• Why Do Women Get More Headaches Than Men? Hormones may be the most obvious culprit, but other factors can be at play.
• Is It Bad to Eat Late at Night? It’s linked to heartburn, disrupted sleep, metabolic issues and more.

• Hearing aids may reduce risk of early death: Using hearing aids can help people with hearing difficulties live longer, finds a US study published in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
• Happiness doesn’t depend on wealth, says new study: Researchers have discovered that happiness and life satisfaction can be achieved even without material wealth. 
• Bullying in adolescence may increase risk of psychosis in later years: Bullied teenagers may show early signs of psychosis, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Tokyo.

See you next Friday, friends 👋

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