Op-ed: Denmark needs a national knowledge center for women's health

The issue has long simmered in the shadows, but now a new hope is ignited, and an emerging will for change begins to shine. Women’s health has finally gained political and public attention.

A number of well-attended events this year have shown that the need is massive and the engagement is real. One key message recurs: women’s health is not only important for the individual woman.

The topic greatly impacts family well-being, labor market sustainability, and unlocks new business opportunities — particularly given the market potential. We have to act now.

But conferences and widespread media coverage are not enough. To turn momentum into lasting change, we need action.

That’s why we, as a society, should support the Alliance for Women’s Health’s ambition to establish a national Knowledge Center for Women’s Health. Here’s our suggestion for how to approach it.

The healthcare system is not up to date with women’s biology

Women’s health is not a niche topic or a passing trend. It concerns half the population and has consequences for society as a whole.

For decades, the lack of research and innovation in women’s health has led to personal and socioeconomic costs.

Women with endometriosis often struggle for years to get diagnoses and treatment, many paying out of pocket because they can no longer wait for proper care.

The consequences are vast: lost earnings, reduced quality of life, and a significant loss of productivity for Denmark.

Across many areas, women pay too high a price for the health system’s lack of knowledge on female biology:

• Severe menstrual pain, debilitating for many young women, is still downplayed as “natural” rather than treated as a potential symptom of serious illness.
• Women with endometriosis face an average diagnostic delay of 7–8 years. Many end up with chronic pain, infertility, and mental health impacts—while their symptoms are often minimized or misinterpreted in the health system.
• Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) still face standardized, ineffective treatments, despite the condition’s serious consequences for fertility, metabolic health, and mental well-being.
• Menopause’s complex health challenges are systematically ignored in research, leaving millions of women without evidence-based solutions.

This lack of prioritization leads to errors and delayed diagnoses—often with serious, sometimes fatal, consequences.

This is a structural issue, beginning already in research. Clinical trials primarily recruit men, and women’s health is not prioritized in national strategies.

Some initiatives, like the EU project Finding Endometriosis using Machine Learning (FEMaLe), have made a real difference by placing endometriosis high on the political agenda through cross-disciplinary research, technological innovation, and active patient involvement. So, real prioritization does work.

Economy and equality go hand in hand

Fortunately, we are seeing growing political support. Across parties, there’s increasing recognition that the Danish healthcare system must be better equipped to meet women with knowledge, empathy, and up-to-date solutions.

This is not just about gender equality—it’s an issue for employers and economic growth. Above all, it’s common sense and essential that we change course and begin prioritizing women’s health.

To ensure a strong and sustainable workforce, we must take women’s health seriously. Economics should drive this change.

Analysis institutes estimate that investing in women’s health could yield up to DKK 30 billion in growth and productivity gains. That’s no small amount.

There is also a clear opportunity for the business sector: by fostering innovation in women’s health, we can open new markets, healthcare breakthroughs, and export potential. It’s an economic no-brainer.

Denmark lacks fundamental knowledge

Innovation requires research—both basic and applied. Here, Denmark lags behind.

There are still major gaps in our understanding of women’s biology, disease patterns, and treatment responses. Many symptoms are dismissed as “natural” and remain stigmatized and unexamined.

We also know that women often have to seek medical attention more times than men to access appropriate treatment.

We need a national research strategy for women’s health, covering both basic science and clinical practice.

But especially, we must strengthen applied research in collaboration with general practitioners and other front-line healthcare staff.

GPs are central to gaining new, vital knowledge. This is where most women first encounter the health system—and often where their journey ends. To create real-world solutions, we must research where real life happens.

A national knowledge center can play a key role in coordinating, prioritizing, and driving this research—in close cooperation between universities, hospitals, and private actors. This is where the overview and direction must reside.