Source · Select Committees · Women and Equalities Committee
Recommendation 47
47
Accepted
Research into women's reproductive health conditions remains insufficient due to inadequate prioritisation and incentives.
Conclusion
Finding the causes of women’s reproductive health conditions and new and better diagnostic tools and treatments for them cannot happen without sufficient research, which includes all groups of women and others affected, at different life stages. Yet research remains lacking because it is not adequately prioritised by funders or commissioners and is not incentivised enough in clinical academia. While these issues are recognised by the Women’s Health Strategy for England and some positive work is underway, the Government needs to be more ambitious and more targeted approaches are needed. (Paragraph 180) 80
Government Response Summary
The government fully recognises the importance of funding and building research capacity in women's reproductive health, detailing how NIHR and UKRI fund research and stating that NIHR has invested approximately £258 million over the last five years, a 55% increase. It also highlights the launch of a new £3 million Policy Research Unit.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government funds research through the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), which is the research delivery arm of DHSC, and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). The government fully recognises: • the importance of funding research into the causes, diagnosis and treatment of women’s reproductive health conditions • the need to build research capacity in this area Through NIHR, the government is undertaking a range of initiatives to increase investment in research into women’s reproductive health conditions. NIHR welcomes funding applications for research into women’s reproductive health conditions. NIHR funding is available through open competition, and we encourage researchers to submit applications in these areas. The Health Research Classification System (HCRS) is a bespoke system for classifying biomedical and health research across all areas of health and disease, which has been used by UK health research funders and internationally since 2004. NIHR uses the recognised classification of ‘Reproductive health and childbirth’ as an indicator for spend on women’s health. NIHR is committed to improving the data landscape surrounding women’s health, and is working to conceptualise and curate a portfolio of NIHR-funded research that is relevant to women's health. This work includes conditions that women experience differently from – or more commonly than – men, so is not limited to the causes, diagnosis and treatment of women’s reproductive health conditions. The NIHR considers that this approach: • maximises funding for research of high scientific quality • is impactful for patients and the public • is deliverable within the health and care system • offers value for money In the last 5 years (financial years 2019 to 2020, and 2023 to 2024), NIHR has invested approximately £258 million into research on reproductive health and childbirth, as classified by the HRCS. This figure reflects a 55% increase in investment from £42,820,393 in financial year 2019 to 2020 to £66,245,386 in financial year 2023 to 2024. NIHR also funds a £3 million Policy Research Unit in Reproductive Health, which launched in January 2024.