{"id":2424,"date":"2024-09-16T13:39:48","date_gmt":"2024-09-16T13:39:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmjsrh\/?p=2424"},"modified":"2024-09-24T09:09:56","modified_gmt":"2024-09-24T09:09:56","slug":"femtech-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmjsrh\/2024\/09\/16\/femtech-part-1\/","title":{"rendered":"Recommending Privately-Developed FemTech in Healthcare  Part 1: Promises and Pitfalls"},"content":{"rendered":"<p style=\"text-align: right\"><em>By <span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW61137892 BCX0\">Anna Nelson, Maria <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61137892 BCX0\">Tzanou<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW61137892 BCX0\"> and <\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SpellingErrorV2Themed SCXW61137892 BCX0\">Tsachi<\/span><span class=\"NormalTextRun SCXW61137892 BCX0\"> Keren-Paz<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Introduction<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">FemTech refers to apps and wearable devices (eg. smart breast pumps and bluetooth-enabled fertility monitors) purporting to empower women and non-binary users to manage their <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/femtechinsider.com\/what-is-femtech\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">sexual, gynaecological and reproductive health.<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> During their recent review of the data practices of period and fertility tracking apps, the Information Commissioner&#8217;s Office found that \u201csome users are being recommended such apps by medical practitioners\u201d (unpublished report, obtained through FoI request). Apps are part of everyday life; therefore, it is \u201clogical\u201d that doctors are<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gponline.com\/viewpoint-use-health-apps-practice\/article\/1713957#:~:text=If%20a%20patient%20asks%20about,one%2Doff%20payment%20or%20subscription.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> increasingly encouraged to recommend apps to help patients as part of care pathways<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u201d However, the use of privately-developed FemTech apps in healthcare gives rise to important legal and regulatory issues.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">In this blog, the first of two, we introduce the issue and outline promises and pitfalls of using privately-developed FemTech apps in the healthcare setting. In the second blog, we consider the responsibilities of healthcare professionals (HCPs) who recommend such apps.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Promise: FemTech Apps Addressing Healthcare Needs<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There is a data gap regarding women\u2019s health and a lack of knowledge about common<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scientificamerican.com\/video\/endometriosis-is-common-and-debilitating-why-do-we-know-so-little-about-it\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">menstrual and gynaecological health conditions<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. Alongside this, healthcare resources are increasingly stretched, and sexual, reproductive and gynaecological services<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/medium.com\/@Sofia_Phillips\/delay-in-uk-gynaecology-services-reaches-crisis-point-4abce23630b9\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">are struggling to meet patients\u2019 needs in a timely fashion.<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> FemTech apps may be positioned as useful tools which can help<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.elvie.com\/assets\/main\/elvie--the-motherload.pdf\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> fill such gaps<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> on both a collective and individual level:\u00a0 helping to<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/how-femtech-closing-gender-gap-health-dataredress\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">redress the paucity of data<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and offering users an alternative means through which they can<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/flo.health\/landings\/reproductive-health-report-uk\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">manage their own menstrual and reproductive health<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (which may seem like a useful interim measure in the face of long waiting lists for access to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2024\/jan\/22\/patients-england-waiting-times-gp-appointments-nhs-figures#:~:text=One%20in%2020%20patients%20has,31.9m%20held%20that%20month.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">GP<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and\u00a0 <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/society\/2024\/apr\/22\/almost-600000-in-england-awaiting-gynaecological-treatment-figures-show\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">gynaecology<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">appointments). Additionally, many FemTech companies work hard to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thedialogue.co\/is-femtech-empowering-women-or-commodifying\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> position their services as empowering<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> for users, which may lead HCPs to view these as useful tools.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Furthermore, diagnosing certain menstrual health conditions (such as<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/cks.nice.org.uk\/topics\/premenstrual-syndrome\/diagnosis\/diagnosis\/#:~:text=Ask%20the%20woman%20to%20record,Other%20questionnaires%20are%20available.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Premenstrual Syndrome<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">) relies on patients keeping track of symptoms for a number of months. Thus, apps which are designed to facilitate just that may be seen as a particularly useful tool in this context. Some FemTech apps have specific functions designed to<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/med.flo.health\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">support healthcare and diagnosis in this way<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, enabling users to produce a \u2018doctors\u2019 report\u2019 with information about symptoms across multiple cycles (eg.<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/help.flo.health\/hc\/en-us\/articles\/4407228784276-Analyzing-your-cycles-and-symptoms\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Flo<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">).<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The Pitfalls: FemTech Apps and Potential Harms<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">The potential for FemTech tracking data to be used in a harmful way<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2022\/jun\/28\/why-us-woman-are-deleting-their-period-tracking-apps\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> garnered significant<\/span><\/a><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/world\/2022\/jun\/28\/why-us-woman-are-deleting-their-period-tracking-apps\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">attention<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in 2022 when the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> US Supreme Court paved the way for the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.kcl.ac.uk\/dobbs-v.-jackson-a-year-on%22%20\/l%20%22:~:text=In%20June%202022%2C%20in%20the,been%20leaked%20some%20months%20before.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">criminalisation of abortion <\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">in<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/us-news\/ng-interactive\/2023\/nov\/10\/state-abortion-laws-us#:~:text=Since%20Roe%20was%20overturned%20in,referendums%20to%20protect%20abortion%20rights.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> a number of US states<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. In England and Wales, abortion remains a criminal offence under the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.legislation.gov.uk\/ukpga\/Vict\/24-25\/100\/section\/58\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">Offences Against the Person Act 1861<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, and\u00a0 there is evidence of police making<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tortoisemedia.com\/2023\/10\/30\/british-police-testing-women-for-abortion-drugs\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">requests to access data from menstruation tracking apps during<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">investigations into \u2018unexplained pregnancy loss\u2019.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Beyond the criminal context, concerns have been raised about the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thenextweb.com\/news\/femtech-app-law-privacy-women-data#:~:text=One%202022%20study%20found%20that,sex%20information%2C%E2%80%9D%20said%20Mehrnezhad.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> privacy of data that users share with FemTech apps<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">. A study carried out by the Organisation for the Review of Care and Health Apps highlighted \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/orchahealth.com\/period-tracker-apps-share-data\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">significant flaws\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> in the privacy policies of 25 period tracker apps.\u00a0 Similar research looking at<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/privacyinternational.org\/long-read\/3196\/no-bodys-business-mine-how-menstruations-apps-are-sharing-your-data\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> period tracking apps<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/foundation.mozilla.org\/en\/blog\/why-mozilla-is-scrutinizing-the-privacy-of-pregnancy-apps\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> pregnancy apps<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> has found that<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/foundation.mozilla.org\/en\/blog\/why-mozilla-is-scrutinizing-the-privacy-of-pregnancy-apps\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> \u201cmost of these products collect vast amounts of personal data, and then share it widely.<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Reviewing FemTech apps privacy policies in the course of our<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> project<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, we\u00a0found similar issues &#8211; many of the policies provide insufficient clarity about what data (intimate or beyond) is shared with which third parties. In a world where the line between our digital and offline lives is<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thesocietypages.org\/cyborgology\/2011\/02\/24\/digital-dualism-versus-augmented-reality\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> increasingly blurred<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, loss of control of one\u2019s personal, digital data (where this is used for purposes to which the user did not provide <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">informed <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">consent) can result in harm, not only to autonomy but also to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/jkeserue.medium.com\/the-unwanted-touch-of-the-digital-era-15437e26677b\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> bodily integrity<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (we explore this further in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">ongoing <\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">project work<\/span><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">)<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Another, broader concern can be raised about the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.oxfordbibliographies.com\/display\/document\/obo-9780195396577\/obo-9780195396577-0274.xml\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">epistemic impact<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">of tracking tools. Those experiencing menstrual and gynaecological pain and other symptoms<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.apaonline.org\/2023\/09\/11\/medical-records-and-epistemic-injustice-a-womens-health-issue-worthy-of-greater-attention\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">can face an \u2018uphill battle\u2019<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">to have their symptoms taken seriously by HCPs. There is a risk that the increased use of tracking apps will further devalue women\u2019s qualitative and experiential testimony in the eyes of HCPs, making it even less likely that women will be granted legitimacy unless they \u2018document\u2019 or \u2018track\u2019 their symptoms in a quantifiable manner. A further question can be raised about whether the use of such apps really<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">serves to <\/span><i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">empower <\/span><\/i><span data-contrast=\"auto\">patients, or whether this instead <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/phe\/article\/14\/3\/268\/6276553?login=false\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">contributes to the responsibilisation<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> of patients for their own care as part of a broader privatisation agenda.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Other work has highlighted the potential for FemTech to<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/papers.ssrn.com\/sol3\/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3630435\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> reinforce problematic gender stereotypes<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">and that FemTech data could result in discrimination in the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/thehealthcaretechnologyreport.com\/despite-benefits-femtech-information-access-presents-workplace-discrimination-risk\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> employment context<\/span><\/a> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">and beyond. Finally, serious questions have also been raised about the<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27159760\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> accuracy of these apps,<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and of the science underpinning them.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Currently, there is a lack of clarity about which\u00a0apps are being recommended to patients. While the NHS has developed a<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/orchahealth.com\/our-products\/assessment-frameworks\/digital-technology-assessment-criteria-dtac\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\"> Digital Technology Assessment Criteria<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (DTAC), which must be met to allow for digital health technologies to be commissioned for formal use across NHS and social care services, there is no guarantee that all apps being recommended by HCPs during individual appointments have passed the DTAC assessment. Furthermore, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/digital.nhs.uk\/services\/nhs-apps-library\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">the NHS Apps Library was decommissioned in December 2021<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> meaning there is no longer a \u2018one stop shop\u2019 for patients to check whether a particular app is DTAC-approved.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Conclusion<\/span><\/b><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">There are increasing moves to integrate digital health tools into NHS care. For example, the<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.longtermplan.nhs.uk\/online-version\/overview-and-summary\/\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">NHS Long Term Plan<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.england.nhs.uk\/long-read\/medical-devices-and-digital-tools\/#:~:text=Prescribing%20and%20medical%20devices,do%20when%20issuing%20traditional%20prescriptions.\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">envisages a move towards digitally enabled services\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and one of the recommendations in the Women\u2019s Health Strategy for England was that more should be done to \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/government\/publications\/womens-health-strategy-for-england\/womens-health-strategy-for-england#data-and-digital\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">support the FemTech sector in delivering collaborative innovation within the NHS\u201d<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> . Therefore, to protect both patients and HCPs, it is important to understand the regulatory responsibilities that HCPs have when it comes to recommending the use of privately developed FemTech.<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:240,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0&#8212;<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><strong>About the Authors<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Anna Nelson<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (she \/ her) is <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">currently <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">a <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Postdoctoral Research Associate on the Leverhulme-funded \u201c<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">FemTech<\/span><span data-contrast=\"none\"> Surveillance: Gendered Digital Harms and Regulatory Approaches<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u201d project at the University of Sheffield. She <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">holds a PhD in Bioethics and Medical Jurisprudence from the University of Manchester, and has wider research interests in law and childbirth, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rep<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">roductive technology<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and gendered experiences of healthcare.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tsachi<\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Keren-Paz<\/span><\/b><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> is Professor of Private Law in the School of Law at the University of Sheffield.<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> He is a Co-I<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">nvestigator<\/span> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">of<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the Leverhulme <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">FemTech<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Sur<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">veillance Project<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">the author of three monographs: <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Torts, Egalitarianism and Distributive Justice<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Ashgate, <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">2007), <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Trafficking: A Private Law Response<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (Routledge, 2013)<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> and <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Egalitarian Digital Privacy: Image Based Abuse and Beyond<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> (BUP, 2023).\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Maria <\/span><\/b><b><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Tzanou<\/span><\/b> <span data-contrast=\"auto\">is a Senior Lecturer in Law at the University of Sheffield, UK. Her research focuses on privacy, data protection, AI, surveillance and the regulation of emerging technologies. She is the<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Principle <\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">Investigator o<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">f<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> the Leverhulme <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"auto\">FemTech<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\"> Surveillance Project<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">.\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span data-contrast=\"auto\">More info<\/span><span data-contrast=\"auto\">rmation about the Femtech project can be found here: <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches\"><span data-contrast=\"none\">https:\/\/www.sheffield.ac.uk\/law\/research\/centres-and-institutes\/sciel\/projects\/femtech-surveillance-gendered-digital-harms-and-regulatory-approaches<\/span><\/a><span data-contrast=\"auto\">\u00a0<\/span><span data-ccp-props=\"{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:276}\">\u00a0<\/span><!--TrendMD v2.4.8--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Anna Nelson, Maria Tzanou and Tsachi Keren-Paz &nbsp; Introduction\u00a0 FemTech refers to apps and wearable devices (eg. smart breast pumps and bluetooth-enabled fertility monitors) purporting to empower women and non-binary users to manage their sexual, gynaecological and reproductive health. During their recent review of the data practices of period and fertility tracking apps, the [&#8230;]<\/p>\n<p><a class=\"btn btn-secondary understrap-read-more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmjsrh\/2024\/09\/16\/femtech-part-1\/\">Read More&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":472,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[599],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2424","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-screening"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Recommending Privately-Developed FemTech in Healthcare Part 1: Promises and Pitfalls - BMJ Sexual &amp; Reproductive Health blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.bmj.com\/bmjsrh\/2024\/09\/16\/femtech-part-1\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Recommending Privately-Developed FemTech in Healthcare Part 1: Promises and Pitfalls - BMJ Sexual &amp; Reproductive Health blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"By Anna Nelson, Maria Tzanou and Tsachi Keren-Paz &nbsp; Introduction\u00a0 FemTech refers to apps and wearable devices (eg. smart breast pumps and bluetooth-enabled fertility monitors) purporting to empower women and non-binary users to manage their sexual, gynaecological and reproductive health. 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