The Female Data Deficit: How Drug Development Still Fails Women

We’re pleased to highlight our Director of Regulatory Strategy, Dr Lisa Campbell’s latest contribution to DIA Global Forum, where she examines the ongoing female data deficit in drug development. Despite growing awareness, clinical research still leans heavily on male‑dominant data, leaving significant gaps in how medicines perform in women, from safety to dosing and overall efficacy.

Dr Campbell explores how historic regulatory decisions and ingrained behavioural biases continue to influence trial design today. Issues like default bias and risk aversion mean many early‑phase studies still underrepresent women, even when inclusion is both possible and essential. She makes a compelling case for shifting long‑standing practices and embedding truly inclusive data strategies from the start of development.

Her insights highlight not just the problem, but the opportunity: more representative data leads to safer, more effective treatments for everyone.

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👉 Read Lisa’s full article: The Female Data Deficit: How Drug Development Still Fails Women

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