Show Notes
In this first episode of Diagnosing WDx, the new women’s health-focused sister series from Diagnosing Dx, I’m joined by Marra Francis, MD, board-certified OB-GYN, women’s health expert, and advisor to multiple early-stage diagnostics companies.
Recorded in the week of International Women’s Day, this conversation explores one of the biggest blind spots in healthcare: the historic and ongoing gap in women’s diagnostics.
Marra breaks down why women were excluded from clinical trials for decades, why many diagnostics and therapeutics still used today were originally studied in men, and why conditions like preeclampsia remain dangerously under-researched. We also explore the role of startups, investors, and AI in helping close the data gap and drive a new era of innovation in women’s health.
If Diagnosing Dx shines a light on the diagnostics industry, Diagnosing WDx shines a light on the women it has overlooked for far too long.
Key takeaways:
🔹 Why women were historically excluded from clinical research 🔹 How gaps in data still affect diagnostics and therapeutics today 🔹 Why preeclampsia and autoimmune disease expose major weaknesses in women’s health research 🔹 The investment gap holding back progress in women’s diagnostics 🔹 Where AI, startups, and new research models could help move the field forward
Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:02 Welcome to Diagnosing WDx 01:53 Marra’s background and path into women’s health diagnostics 04:49 The real diagnostic gaps women face in clinical practice 08:05 Marra’s work across women’s health startups and innovation 11:11 Consumer health, trust, and access to testing 17:13 The history of women’s exclusion from clinical trials 20:10 Preeclampsia, autoimmune disease, and the real-world impact of the data gap 25:41 Why progress in women’s health is still not moving fast enough 29:22 Diagnostics tested in men and what that means for women today 32:59 Can AI help close the women’s health data gap? 42:10 What needs to change next in women’s diagnostics 47:47 Why Diagnosing WDx matters
Guest: Marra S. Francis LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marrasfrancis/
Resources mentioned: 1. Women’s Health Initiative 2. MIT Catalyst Program 3. For You and Me (FYM) 4. Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology
Diagnosing WDx is a sister series from Diagnosing Dx, hosted by Elevra Consulting, spotlighting the gaps, opportunities, and innovations shaping the future of women’s diagnostics.
Learn more: https://elevraconsulting.com/
🔔 Subscribe to Diagnosing Dx for weekly conversations with leaders shaping the future of diagnostics.
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