Menopause care has been an under-researched and under-financed market to date, despite the fact that half the population could benefit from improved treatments in this area. By 2025, 1.1 billion women are expected to be postmenopausal. According to Crunchbase, the space represents $600 billion of spending opportunity but is still largely untapped by startups that could be creating new products and services for these women
Changing this scenario is health tech and femtech startup Bia Care. The London-based company which was created in early 2020 by Fernanda Dobal and David Huang, a doctor and NHS Clinical Entrepreneur with experience setting up NHS remote care services, has now launched its virtual clinic to solve the issues related to menopause.
Access to clinically-validated treatment options
The virtual clinic is aimed at improving menopause care by combining technology with personalised treatments. The remote care solution ensures that women are provided with the knowledge needed to control their symptoms, access clinically-validated treatment options and are given the ability to share their experiences in a confidential setting.
Waiting lists for doctors! No longer
The idea for the company was inspired by the pair’s regular visits to a South London menopause café before the pandemic stopped in-person gatherings. Building a virtual clinic was the clear next step for the company, as remote menopause care means that women are less constrained by the expertise and waiting lists of their local doctors.
Nutrition advice, emotional fitness and much more
As a modern menopause clinic, the startup is committed to being an evidence-based and clinically-led platform that delivers care in an accessible and empathetic way. Treatment options available through the clinic include hormone replacement therapy (HRT), nutrition advice, physiotherapy and emotional fitness.
Backed by scientific research
A research partnership with Imperial College London ensures that any innovations in care delivery are backed by scientific investigation. Results from a joint observational study of over 1,550 women aged 40-70 in the UK show that only a third reported having the tools and understanding to manage their menopause. Full results will be presented at the Royal College of GPs Annual Conference later in 2021.
Improving menopause care
Fernanda Dobal, CEO & Co-founder of Bia Care explains: “We founded Bia Care to help the increasing number of women who are no longer willing to suffer through menopause in silence. Remote care means that women aren’t subject to a geographic lottery and can access a specialist doctor in Oxfordshire and a dietitian in London, all from the comfort of their home over video call. We also know that everyone experiences menopause differently but is to a large degree a collective experience – and so we provide group consultations where people can come together and not just see a clinician, but also learn from each other and share what they’re going through.”
The company was incubated by Zinc VC, the UK’s largest social impact accelerator as well as Kamet Ventures, the leading health tech venture builder, and is also backed by Atomico Angels.
Kamet’s expertise within the healthcare industry led them to identify a significant market gap around menopause care. Michael Niddam, Managing Director of Kamet Ventures says: “We identified massive potential to address a market that is demanding better solutions. Bia’s virtual clinic improves the delivery of menopause care by providing it directly to the user and has the ability to scale to help thousands of women.”
The post Meet UK femtech Bia Care, a virtual clinic transforming menopause care appeared first on UKTN (UK Tech News).
