New National Centre for Research in Women's Health
Women’s Health at the forefront of research.
Research into diseases has historically been based on the male body. As a consequence, we still know too little about the female body, resulting in women spending a large part of their lives in poor health. Therefore, there is a pressing need to put women's health at the forefront of research, both to help women who suffer from a lack of effective treatments, but also because there is great potential in enabling more women to participate fully in the labour market rather than being prevented by illness.
The Danish government announced in October 2025 that it will allocate DKK 160 million (EUR 21.5 million) over the next four years to a new research centre called Nationalt Center for Forskning i Kvinders Sundhed (National Centre for Research in Women’s Health, ed.). With this multi-year effort to strengthen research in women’s health and women-related diseases, the aim is to establish a permanent focus on women’s health and generate critical scientific knowledge in this area.
One example of women not receiving the right help or treatment is the condition endometriosis. A chronic disease of the lower abdomen that can cause severe pain and be highly disabling. Although the disease affects up to 10 percent of women of childbearing age, only 1.6 percent are diagnosed.
With the establishment of the new National Centre for Research in Women’s Health, it will be possible to coordinate research efforts nationally, strengthening research areas where knowledge is currently lacking. The centre will also be instrumental in educating the next generation of scientist specialising in women’s health research through an increased number of PhD positions.
Strengthened knowledge about women’s health will enable scientists and clinicians to better understand general conditions that affect women and men differently and to improve the prevention and treatment of women-related diseases.
The new centre will:
A political priority
Women´s health has been overlooked and underprioritised in the past, leading to significant unmet medical needs, data gaps, and investment disparities. The imbalance in addressing the health needs of half the population has vast consequences, both for the individual’s health and social well-being, but also for socio-economic progress, as the health gap hinders economic development globally. To raise awareness and counteract the imbalance, a number of initiatives - both political, scientific, and economic - have put Denmark on the map as a global frontrunner in women’s health.
In 2024, the Alliance for Women's Health was founded as a broad alliance spanning the Danish political spectrum. In February 2025, the Nordic Women's Health Hub was launched, with founding members among entrepreneurs and angel investors aiming to connect the Nordic start-up ecosystems and accelerate innovation and investments in visionary female-centred solutions. Furthermore, membership and industry organisations such as Medicon Valley Alliance, Dansk Industri (Danish Industry ed.) and Dansk Erhverv (Danish Chamber of Commerce) have selected women’s health as a priority area, advocating for an increased focus on women’s health-specific topics.
The political support for the new National Centre for Research in Women’s Health is broadly based and in line with other recent political initiatives to strengthen academic and industrial research in Denmark, such as the national vision for better use of health data and the newly launched strategy for personalised medicine. Both the Minister for the Interior and Health, the Minister for Higher Education and Science, and the Minister for Gender Equality have published statements with the official press release, voicing their recognition of the urgent need to close the gender health gap (Regeringen vil afsætte 160 mio. kr. til forskning i kvinders sundhed | Indenrigs- og Sundhedsministeriet – in Danish only). They state that both men and women are of course entitled to the same treatment in the healthcare system, but that women unfortunately experience a lack of knowledge about women's diseases and women's health, compromising the care they receive. To rectify this, the new centre can help ensure greater equality in healthcare services.
Closing the gender gap in health is essential to ensure equality in life and healthcare, but also to drive the future global economy. A strong line-up of political and scientific initiatives positions Denmark as an attractive location for research, business development, and innovative partnerships, creating opportunities for new ventures and promoting women´s health.
The establishment of the National Centre for Research in Women’s Health further cements Denmark’s position as one of Europe’s most forward-thinking life science hubs. For international life science companies, this political prioritisation and long-term funding signal a stable, innovation-driven environment where public partners are ready to co-create solutions and accelerate scientific breakthroughs. With world-class health data infrastructure, strong clinical collaboration models, and a rapidly growing women’s health innovation ecosystem, Denmark offers a unique platform for companies developing diagnostics, therapeutics, digital health tools or advanced research within female-centred health.
In short: if you’re looking to build or expand your European footprint in women’s health, Denmark gives you both the talent and the testbed to turn ideas into impact.