Pilot Project: New Preventive Care for Girls and Women in Bavaria - Bavaria's Bold Plan to Close the Gender Gap in Women's Healthcare

On International Women's Day, Bavaria's Health Minister Judith Gerlach announced plans to boost women's health services. The initiative includes new research into gender-sensitive medicine and expanded public awareness campaigns. Gerlach stressed the importance of addressing long-standing gaps in healthcare for women.

The ministry is pushing for two key changes: a preventive health check for girls aged 12 to 17 and a dedicated screening programme for menopausal women. A pilot for the menopause screening is already underway at the Women's Clinic of the Technical University of Munich.

Gerlach highlighted that women often face misdiagnoses or delays in treatment. This stems from underrepresentation in clinical trials, where female participants have historically made up only 25–30% of heart disease studies. Even recent data (2016–2026) shows only a slight improvement, with women now accounting for 32–35% of participants in such trials. Large-scale studies, like those by the German Heart Centre Berlin, still include around 65–68% men.

The minister also pointed to differences in how women experience heart attacks and mental health issues. Symptoms can vary from those in men, yet they remain understudied. To tackle this, the ministry is expanding public information on menopausal symptoms and women's health. Gerlach called for gender-sensitive approaches to be embedded in medical training, research, and everyday practice.

The proposed measures aim to close critical gaps in women's healthcare. If implemented, the new checks and screenings could lead to earlier diagnoses and better treatment outcomes. The ministry's push for gender-sensitive medicine reflects a broader effort to ensure healthcare systems meet women's specific needs.