My Normative Partners with Industry Leaders in Commitment to Address the 95 year Lag and Bridge Sex and Gender Data Gap in Health Research
Calgary, AB – October 16, 2025
My Normative Inc. today announced a groundbreaking collaboration with nine pioneering research and industry partners including: 4M, Clue, GSD Health Research, Trially AI, and researchers Dr. Stacy Sims and Dr. Claire Badenhorst to address the critical lack of sex and gender-specific data in health research.
This initiative, named “The Persons Project,” draws inspiration from the historic Oct. 18th, 1929, decision by Canada to recognize women as legal persons. My Normative and its collaborators aim to drive the same systemic change within the global health research industry, recognizing that women are not “just small men” but unique persons with differentiated social, cultural, and biological realities, ultimately seeking to improve health outcomes for all.
The stakes couldn’t be higher. Women are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed during a heart attack. They are twice as likely to suffer adverse drug reactions. They make up 80% of autoimmune disorder cases. They are twice as likely to have Alzheimer’s… and yet despite rampant disparity, they’re still systematically excluded from clinical trials on the crime of being “too complicated” (Bruinvels, 2017).
The Persons Project seeks to demonstrate, within 6 months, how a united multi-sector effort can set a new standard for inclusive, sex and gender aware, health research through inclusive data strategies and partnership. By addressing how siloing perpetuates the lack of sex- and gender-specific data in health research this initiative aims to address both the sex and gender data gap but also the inequities which that gap creates.
Participating organizations will contribute their expertise in areas such as:
- Domain expertise and relevant resources to address the sex and gender data gap.
- Feedback and insights to inform collaboration roadmaps that accelerate change.
- Collaborative design and planning activities to decrease barriers to innovation.
- Support for public communications efforts to address systemic knowledge gaps.
Of the project, Amanda Shea, Fractional Chief Science Officer at Clue, said: “For more than a decade, millions have trusted Clue to track their cycles and help them make informed choices about their health — but the biggest barrier to better outcomes is that women’s health is still not fully understood or prioritized. Through The Persons Project, we can join forces with partners to transform the lived experiences of our community into a collective power that accelerates systemic progress in how women’s health is understood and supported.”
By bridging across traditionally siloed industries that all fundamentally look to support women’s health, The Persons Project has a unique opportunity for impact. “For decades, women’s health has lacked the depth and completeness of data we take for granted in other areas of medicine.” says Katie Baca-Motes, CEO and Co-founder of GSD Health Research, “At GSD Health Research, we are adding female-specific data layers such as menstrual and hormonal status, cycle-linked symptoms, and sensor-based physiology to build the evidence base needed to study sex differences rigorously. With better trial design and sex-aware analysis, we can uncover mechanisms that improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for everyone.”
Professor Gemma Sharp and Luana De Giorgio, Co-Directors of 4M, said: “At 4M, we know progress in women’s health depends on connection – between people, disciplines, and data. The Persons Project embodies that principle, and together we’re helping make sex- and gender-aware research the norm rather than the exception.”
“We are thrilled to partner with these research industry leaders who share our commitment to equitable health research,” said Danika Kelly, CEO of My Normative, “By working together, we can accelerate closing the sex and gender data gap to ensure that health systems reflect the needs of all people.”
About My Normative Inc.
My Normative Inc. is a health research and innovation platform addressing the sex and gender data gap. For more information go to www.mynormative.com
About 4M
The Menarche Menstruation Menopause and Mental Health (4M) consortium is a global network of over 400 members working across academia, industry, healthcare, and advocacy to facilitate impactful research at the intersection of menstrual and mental health.
About Clue
Clue is the #1 women-led period and cycle tracker, loved by over 100 million women and people with cycles around the world. Beyond period tracking, Clue helps you turn your cycle into a powerful tool to help navigate your health journey by making sense of your hormones and discovering your unique patterns. Whether you want to simply understand your cycle, try to conceive, track your pregnancy, or navigate perimenopause, Clue is your intelligent, science-backed, data-driven health guide. Join the movement that’s changing the future of female health, one data point at a time. Try Clue free, today.
About Dr. Stacy Sims and Dr. Claire Badenhorst
Together, Dr. Stacy Sims (Stanford University; Auckland University of Technology) and Dr. Claire Badenhorst (Massey University; Edith Cowan University) are at the forefront of advancing women’s health through innovative projects in menstrual fluid analysis and female physiology research.
About GSD
GSD Health Research (Generational Science & Discovery) develops new approaches to how clinical research is designed and conducted. Building on a decade of work at the Scripps Research Digital Trials Center, GSD integrates digital tools, biosensors, electronic health records, and participant-reported outcomes to create more comprehensive and representative datasets. With deep expertise in women’s health, GSD applies these methods across therapeutic areas to accelerate discovery and build stronger evidence for better care.
About Trially AI
Trially AI is shaping the future of clinical trial recruitment by matching, engaging and enrolling patients at breakthrough speed and ~95% accuracy. Proven to multiply enrollment rates by up to 6x, reduce screen failures by 73% and reduce screening time by 91%. Trially AI automates patient matching and agentic outreach from any source – including EHRs, fully compliant with HIPAA, SOC 2, FDA CFR 21 Part 11 and ISO 27001. Designed for physicians, research sites, CROs and pharmaceutical sponsors, Trially empowers you to achieve outstanding results in clinical research. For more information visit trially.ai.
Contact:
Danika Kelly
Co-Founder and CEO
[email protected]
+1-403-921-8896