The Swedish Research Council and Forte are analysing research needs in women’s health

There are today a number of diseases that only affect girls and women. Women are also over-represented among patients suffering from mental ill health, migraine and auto-immune diseases. The Swedish Research Council and Forte have now been tasked to identify knowledge gaps and research needs in women’s health. Women’s health is a broad and multidisciplinary research field, and the analysis shall cover both public health among women, specific women’s diseases and also health risks linked to women’s life situations.

Madeleine Durbeej-Hjalt, Secretary General of the Scientific Council for Medicine and Health at the Swedish Research Council, welcomes the mandate:
“An analysis of the scope of the knowledge and research needs in women’s health is important, as is investigating what obstacles exist in the research, and how research in women’s health and diseases can be stimulated. In the analysis, we need to take into account that women and girls form a large and heterogenous group.”

A reference group of experts is linked to the project. Right now, the Swedish Research Council and Forte are gathering together viewpoints on knowledge gaps and research needs from researchers in various disciplines and from representatives of the public agencies, professions and interest organisations involved. Viewpoints on suitable grant forms for calls are also being collected.

The analysis will lead to a proposal for how a research initiative in this area can be designed. The proposal will include focuses as well as grant forms, budgets and time horizons. The mandate will be reported to the Ministry of Health and Social Affairs on 1 November 2023.

Read more about the mandate on Forte’s website External link.