My Normative has launched ‘The Persons Project’, a collaboration with nine research and industry partners to address the lack of sex and gender-specific data in health research. Partners include 4M, Clue, GSD Health Research, Trially AI, Dr. Stacy Sims, and Dr. Claire Badenhorst.
My Normative is a health research and innovation platform. Clue is a period and cycle tracking app with over 100 million users. GSD Health Research develops clinical research approaches integrating digital tools and biosensors. 4M is a global network of over 400 members working on menstrual and mental health research.
The project aims to demonstrate within six months how a multi-sector effort can establish standards for sex and gender-aware health research. Participating organizations will contribute expertise in domain knowledge, collaboration roadmaps, collaborative design, and public communications to address knowledge gaps.
Women are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed during a heart attack and twice as likely to suffer adverse drug reactions. They comprise 80% of autoimmune disorder cases and are twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s disease. Women continue to be excluded from clinical trials.
“For more than a decade, millions have trusted Clue to track their cycles and help them make informed choices about their health — but the biggest barrier to better outcomes is that women’s health is still not fully understood or prioritized,” said Amanda Shea, Fractional Chief Science Officer at Clue. “Through The Persons Project, we can join forces with partners to transform the lived experiences of our community into a collective power that accelerates systemic progress in how women’s health is understood and supported.”
“For decades, women’s health has lacked the depth and completeness of data we take for granted in other areas of medicine,” said Katie Baca-Motes, CEO and Co-founder of GSD Health Research. “At GSD Health Research, we are adding female-specific data layers such as menstrual and hormonal status, cycle-linked symptoms, and sensor-based physiology to build the evidence base needed to study sex differences rigorously.”
“We are thrilled to partner with these research industry leaders who share our commitment to equitable health research,” said Danika Kelly, CEO of My Normative, “By working together, we can accelerate closing the sex and gender data gap to ensure that health systems reflect the needs of all people.”
