In the United States, over 35 million women live with an autoimmune disease1, yet less than 1% of women’s health funding is allocated to these conditions2. The impact is extensive: women often spend years trying to get a diagnosis, face daily symptoms that disrupt work and family life, and have limited treatment options once diagnosed.
There are, however, signs of change. The Gates Foundation has committed $2.5 billion to women’s health3, while Melinda French Gates, Pivotal, and Wellcome Leap have announced a $100 million initiative with autoimmune diseases included in their focus2. These investments mark important progress for women’s health overall, and it is significant that autoimmune diseases are finally receiving dedicated funding. Still, momentum in women’s health will remain incomplete until autoimmune earns sustained attention and investment.
Why does this gap persist? One reason is that autoimmune disease often receives limited attention in the spaces where women’s health priorities are being shaped. Our team’s analysis confirms this: among 39 major women’s health reports published in the last two years, only 9 meaningfully addressed autoimmune diseases. In our earlier dataset of 28, just 7 did so. That means over three-quarters of reports shaping women’s health priorities continue to leave autoimmune out of the picture. This absence shows how women’s health is still too often defined in terms of reproductive care, while lifelong and complex conditions like autoimmune remain sidelined. And when conditions appear this rarely, they struggle to influence policy, attract research funding, or inspire innovation.
Yet silence does not have to define the future. It’s time for a reset in how we think about women’s health. Recognizing autoimmune disease as central would unlock new avenues for research, spur innovation in treatments, and support care models that meet women where they are. But this shift will only happen if more leaders actively choose to drive it.
What you can do:
- Expand your understanding by engaging with relevant research, reports, and conferences focused on autoimmune conditions. For a starting point, explore our Women’s Health Investment Spreadsheet for reports analyzing autoimmune in women’s health.
- Familiarize yourself with organizations advancing autoimmune and immune-system research, such as the Benaroya Research Institute, La Jolla Institute for Immunology, Penn Colton Center for Autoimmunity, and Allegheny Health Network Autoimmunity Institute, and innovative venture funds like Vie Ventures and Immune Boost Capital.
- Follow along on LinkedIn for our series exploring the connection between autoimmune disease and women’s health. Please share your comments, questions, and ideas to continue our legacy of improved care for autoimmune patients. For easy reference, we’ve also compiled the posts into the spreadsheet below.
Closing the gap will take more than awareness. It will take bold action. Together, we can change the trajectory for millions of women living with autoimmune disease. Stand with Autoimmune Connect as we push to make autoimmune diseases a funding priority, and together we can launch the first impact investment fund focused on autoimmune innovation.
This is only the beginning. Join us for our upcoming series on why now is the time to invest in autoimmune.
Authors: DrBonnie360, Sen Meng
We approach these thought leadership posts from our multi-lens perspectives.
- DrBonnie360: Strategic advisor, venture-funded startup co-founder, former Wall Street equity researcher, clinical dentist, patient, and advocate.
- Sen Meng: Digital health equity research intern, Ecology, Behavior, Evolution Undergraduate Student at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Sources
- Feldman, Bonnie, et al. “Autoimmune Incidence & Prevalence.” Autoimmune Connect, 30 Jan. 2024, drbonnie360.com/2023/10/03/autoimmune-incidence-and-prevalence/
↩︎ - Kelland, Kate. “Melinda French Gates Launches $100 Million Push into Women’s Health Research.” Reuters, 10 Sept. 2025, reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/melinda-french-gates-launches-100-million-push-womens-health-research-2025-09-10/
↩︎ - Gates Foundation. “Gates Foundation announces catalytic funding to spark new era of women-centered research and innovation.” The Gates Foundation, 4 August 2025, gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center/press-releases/2025/08/womens-health-funding-commitment
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