Recommendation 17

FemTech apps such as period trackers have the potential to transform girls’ and women’s understanding of, and ability to advocate for, their menstrual health and wellbeing. The 2022 Women’s Health Strategy, however, was not sufficiently alert to the risks. These apps are now very popular with girls and younger women, who are at acute risk from inaccurate information and advice and inappropriate monetisation of their personal health data. Apps that do not draw on sufficiently diverse data risk entrenching health inequalities for girls and women from minority racial and ethnic and other groups. We previously identified a need for urgent steps to ensure the NHS starts keeping pace with the private sector in this area. We were deeply disappointed by the Government’s response and are not reassured by its evidence to this follow up inquiry. Vague commitments to collaborate with the sector and a few ad hoc projects are insufficient. (Conclusion, Paragraph 77)