Revolutionising Women's Health: A Conversation with Marie Teil

Welcome to the latest instalment of our Cognitant interview series, "Empowered Health." Today, we have the pleasure of speaking with Marie Teil.

Marie has over 20 years of experience in healthcare, spanning academia, clinical research, ethics, and operations. At UCB, she leads the Women of Childbearing Age?(WoCBA) programme, empowering women with chronic diseases to make informed healthcare decisions. As Global Head of the WoCBA Programme, Marie focuses on supporting women through all stages of their reproductive health journey. She also co-chairs BRIDGE (Better Research, Information, and Data Generation for Empowerment), a global independent commission dedicated to providing women with reliable data for informed treatment decisions.

Welcome, Marie!

Marie: Thank you, Alex. It's a pleasure to be here.

Alex: Marie, your career trajectory has been dedicated to empowering women, particularly those facing chronic diseases during their childbearing years. Could you share what inspired you to establish the Women of Childbearing Age Programme?

Marie: Absolutely, this field is deeply personal to me. I've witnessed friends struggling with chronic diseases and grappling with the decision to start a family while managing their conditions. Their experiences, including one friend who tragically lost a baby due to lack of information, fuelled my determination to bridge the gap between science and reproductive health. When UCB approached me with the opportunity to pioneer this initiative, I saw it as a chance to make a meaningful difference.

Alex: How do you define empowerment within the context of Women's Health, and what strategies does your programme employ to promote it?

Marie: Empowerment in Women's Health means giving women access to accurate information that enables them to weigh their options based on strong evidence versus based on fears, misconceptions, and historical beliefs. In turn, this gives them the ability to engage in meaningful discussions with healthcare providers.

It's about helping people to have a say and to be heard by their healthcare professional. I believe this is what empowerment is.

Our programme focuses on providing women with robust research and data to make informed decisions about their health, especially concerning pregnancy and managing chronic diseases. We also equip them with tools to have productive conversations with their physicians, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

Alex: Data generation, research, and education are critical in empowering women to make informed decisions about their healthcare. What role do you believe these elements play, and how do you envision their evolution in the future?

Marie: Data, research and education all play critical roles in debunking myths and providing evidence-based care for women. Historically, women, especially those of childbearing age, have been underrepresented in clinical trials, leading to a lack of understanding of how certain treatments may affect them.

Data is pivotal to combat confusion, conflicting information related to family planning, pregnancy, postpartum, and management of a disease. There has been a notion that women need to be protected from research, when in reality, women need to be supported and protected through research - It's time for a paradigm shift.

By prioritising research and education, we can close the knowledge gap and ensure women receive personalised, evidence-based care. Emerging technologies, such as AI, hold promise in revolutionising how we approach Women's Health, providing more accurate insights and tailored treatments.

Alex: I can imagine that collaboration with various stakeholders is crucial in advancing the mission of the Women of Childbearing Age Programme. How do you collaborate with patients, healthcare providers, and researchers to achieve your goals?

Marie: Collaboration is at the heart of our mission. We partner with patients, healthcare providers, regulators, and policymakers to advance scientific understanding and improve care for women. As a Co-chair of BRIDGE (Better Research, Information, and Data Generation for Empowerment), I'm committed to facilitating dialogue and driving actionable solutions to address the information gap in Women's Health.

Alex: Looking ahead, how do you see the future of Women's Health evolving, and what initiatives do you envision to further empower this demographic?

Marie: It's interesting to see that despite all the progress that has been made in research and data generation, health challenges for women are still consistently overlooked, with studies that ignore the contribution of gender differences.

The future of Women's Health lies in recognising and addressing gender-specific challenges in healthcare. We must advocate for policies and frameworks that prioritise gender equity in care and research. Initiatives like BRIDGE are paving the way for a more inclusive approach to Women's Health, empowering women to make informed decisions about their health and well-being.

Alex: Thank you so much, Marie, for your insights and dedication to advancing Women's Health. It's been an honour speaking with you today.

Interviewer: Alex Merckx, Host of Empowered Health Series

Guest: Marie Teil, Global Head, Women of Childbearing Age Programme, UCB