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The "femtech" sector, which includes digital solutions focused on women's health, has attracted a host of new players such as powerful technology giants such as Apple sees it as a growth space worthy of the name . to the hype.
US and Swiss researchers badyzed data from 200,000 users of fertility tracking applications, Kindara and Sympto, and found that digital tools were less accurate than traditional surveillance, according to a study published in Nature.
There is a lot of evidence pointing out the weaknesses of femtech:
- The jury still does not know if most apps apps for women's health are keeping their promises. Most femtech companies still have to conduct extensive research on the effectiveness of their products, notes Politico. And the available evidence is not optimistic: a review of 73 applications of the menstrual cycle revealed that none of them could accurately predict ovulation – the highest score only representing one's life. an accuracy rate of 21%, according to a study conducted in 2018 by Current Research and Opinion.
- Some femtech tools have attracted attention for their dark data sharing practices. Natural Cycles digital contraception, accused of misleading users and contributing, in part, to unwanted pregnancies, states that it may "publicly display" anonymous user information, according to Wired . And reports that pregnancy apps such as Ovia would share information with employers have recently appeared, notes the Washington Post.
- And digital health companies need to compete with the reliability and cost-effectiveness of traditional care. Fertility tests are covered by most insurance plans, while femtech kits can carry heavy price tags: San Francisco-based Modern Fertility kits sell for $ 160, says Tech Crunch . Consumers may be attracted to traditional care if they seek accuracy: the signs of ovulation can vary considerably from person to person, so that the direct consumer consultation (DTC) model can an interesting alternative to personalized and thorough medical treatment. care.
The largest image:Despite Femtech's weaknesses, the expected growth should not be insufficient.
Investors continue to bring money to femtech startups. According to Pitchbook, Femtech startups around the world have raised about $ 400 million in 2018, compared to $ 100 million five years ago. And 2019 got off to a fast start: Modern Fertility, for example, brought in $ 15 million in June.
Evidence indicating inefficiency and questionable practices have not dampened investor activity and are unlikely to move forward, especially since more than three-quarters women report having plans to use fertility applications, according to a survey conducted in 2018 among 1,000 American women.
We believe we will begin to see more funds allocated to femtech's US startups as the global market moves toward its projected $ 50 billion valuation by 2025, according to Frost & Sullivan.
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