Following on the success of the first edition in 2024, the Health and Ageing Law Lab (HALL) of Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) and the Else Kröner Fresenius Center (EKFZ) for Digital Health of Technische Universität (TU) Dresden organized the second edition from June 2 to June 6, 2025. This year’s focus was “Femtech Meets Law: Advancing Women's Health Across All Ages Through Technology, Regulation, and Ethics”, hosted by EKFZ in Dresden, Germany.
As global awareness of health disparities continues to grow, femtech – the intersection of technology and women’s health – has emerged as an essential area of innovation. Despite representing half the population, women’s health remains chronically underfunded and underserved in medical research, product development, and digital healthcare solutions. Addressing issues from reproductive health to menopause, femtech holds immense promise not just for innovation, but for equity and systemic change. However, to truly realize this potential, the field must navigate complex ethical, legal, and regulatory landscapes. The Summer School served as a platform in this regard to explore the evolving intersection of technology, legal frameworks, and ethical governance in women's health.
A Week of Insight and Impact
The program kicked off with a warm welcome from organizers and an insightful keynote by Dr. Andrea Biasiucci, who challenged prevailing assumptions about the so-called innovation gap in menopause care – arguing that regulation can serve as an enabler rather than a barrier to progress.
Over five days, participants immersed themselves in expert-led lectures, interactive sessions, and case studies that addressed pivotal topics:
• AI and Cybersecurity in Femtech (by Dr. Liqaa Nawaf)
• Regulatory Pathways and Innovation Strategies (by Dr. Vera Rödel, Karolina Magnusson, Dr. Tamara Radaković, Shireen Saxena, Prof. Stephen Gilbert)
• Digital Health and Global Justice (by Dr. Christiane Hagel, Tigest Tamrat, Dr. Shada AlSalamah)
• Femtech Policy and Data Governance (by Dr. Lauren Tonti, Cécile van der Heijden, Prof. Paul Quinn)
During a panel discussion about “The Pathologization of Ageing,” Dr. Christiane Hagel, Dr. Andrea Biasiucci, and Ms. Celia Brightwell examined how societal narratives and technological development shape women’s health experiences later in life.
Student Engagement and Innovation
Throughout the week, participants attended design workshop led by Dr. Christiane Hagel and case study led by Ms. Ruoxin Su based on their preferences and formed working groups to tackle real-world challenges in femtech, preparing and presenting final project assessments on the last day. Their presentations reflected a week’s worth of deep engagement with the ethical, regulatory, and design dimensions of femtech – with topics ranging from cross-border data access and equity in AI to entrepreneurial strategies for underserved health needs. We also made time for connection and community with a city tour of Dresden, a group dinner, and an optional hike to Lingerschloss, encouraging participants to forge networks that will continue beyond this week.
The HALL-EKFZ Summer School 2025 made clear: the future of femtech lies not just in technological innovation, but in the thoughtful integration of legal, ethical, and societal considerations. As women’s health gains overdue attention on the global stage, interdisciplinary efforts like this Summer School are essential to ensuring that solutions are equitable, inclusive, and sustainable.
We are grateful to all our speakers and participants, and especially to HALL-EKFZ organization team – Prof. Stephen Gilbert, Prof. Paul Quinn, Rebecca Mathias, Ashwinee Kumar, Oguzhan Yesiltuna, Dr. Uta Gutbier, and Franziska Kiel – for creating an unforgettable experience that advances the dialogue on women’s health technology.
The next edition of the HALL-EKFZ Summer School will once again feature a timely and insightful theme in 2026. Stay tuned for meeting next summer!