BREAKING SILOS TO TRANSFORM WOMEN’S HEALTH THROUGH MEDTECH Inaugural Summit discusses new evidence in inequities affecting diagnosis, treatment and innovation
With
Jasjit Baveja PhD,
Director of Regulatory and Industry Policy,
Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA)
SEGMENT
Filmed in Sydney | July 2026
In an interview with Australian Health Journal, Jasjit Baveja, Director of Regulatory and Industry Policy at the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), highlighted the growing importance of medical technology in addressing longstanding inequities in women’s health.
Drawing on the outcomes of the inaugural MTAA Women’s Health MedTech Summit, she explained how the event brought together clinicians, researchers, industry leaders, regulators, investors, government representatives and patient advocates to tackle complex challenges through a collaborative approach.
Baveja said the summit was intentionally designed to break down traditional barriers between stakeholders, noting that, “it doesn’t matter who it was, they were all describing different parts of the same problem.” Discussions extended well beyond reproductive and sexual health to examine conditions that affect women exclusively, differently or disproportionately across every stage of life.
The summit identified several key barriers, including delayed diagnosis, gaps in clinical evidence, medical device design that often fails to account for women’s needs, and regulatory and reimbursement challenges. Baveja also highlighted compelling statistics that demonstrate persistent gender disparities in research and healthcare, reinforcing the need for greater investment in women’s health across the entire medical technology lifecycle.
Importantly, she said the discussions reinforced that women’s health is no longer a niche issue, but one with significant health, workforce, economic and innovation implications.
Looking ahead, Baveja said there was “strong support to move from conversation to action,” with MTAA committing to establish a Women’s Health Policy Group and develop a white paper outlining barriers, opportunities and policy recommendations to improve health outcomes for Australian women.
Source: Adapted from transcript
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Evolution in consumer diagnostics with saliva based pathology
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, consumer diagnostics have rapidly advanced, with more people becoming aware of and comfortable using at-home testing. These tests provide greater convenience, control, and empowerment, allowing individuals to monitor their health without immediately consulting a healthcare professional. Recently, this shift has been particularly impactful in areas such as pregnancy testing, where saliva-based diagnostics now enable earlier and more accessible detection.
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LIVED EXPERIENCE: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
Lachlan Thorpe has shared his experience of living with complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS), highlighting the profound impact the condition had on his life and the difference medical technology has made to his recovery.
In an interview with the Australian Health Journal, Thorpe explained that his CRPS developed following an ankle injury sustained while playing rugby for Sydney University Rugby Club in late 2024. After undergoing surgery and rehabilitation for the injury, he began experiencing severe pain, swelling and sensitivity despite there being no further orthopaedic damage.
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Redefining diversity in clinical trials
Ensuring inclusion, diversity, equity and patient input in the development of novel drugs and medical devices has become well accepted in health care. However appropriate implementation of these elements has been a challenge for many. Only by implementing these conscious inputs can patient outcomes be improved and health disparities in marginalised groups be addressed.
Australian Health Journal spoke to Gillian Mason, Consumer and Community Involvement Lead at Hunter Medical Research Institute in Newcastle, NSW on this topic discussed at the recent ARCS Conference in Sydney.
