Why Women’s Consumer Health Needs Go Unmet—and What to Do About It

Key Takeaways

Women account for most consumer health spending, yet products often fail to address their needs—creating a $36 billion opportunity for companies.

• Women’s health needs are different—and underresearched. Despite driving most household health decisions, women remain underserved because products are often based on male-centric research. Only 4% of US research funding targets women’s health, creating blind spots in product design and messaging.
• The unmet demand is vast and concentrated. Across 23 health concerns, women reported 54% satisfaction versus men’s 65%, representing a huge, and largely unmet, demand. Nearly a third sits in just three categories: weight management; skin, hair, and nail health; and mental health.
• Growth will come from designing differently. Leaders will win by grounding...