International Women’s Day 2024: Inspiring Inclusion

On 8 March, International Women’s Day (IWD), UCB will rally behind the global call to “Inspire Inclusion” – an important message that we proudly support across our organization. When we take a step back to think about what it means to be inclusive – one critical area that is lacking is the inclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding women in clinical trials. Current research tells us that an underrepresentation of women in clinical trials overall can have a significant negative impact on women’s health. 

At UCB, we are steadfast in our commitment to closing the pregnancy gap and accelerating progress in the care of pregnant and breastfeeding women with chronic diseases. In partnership with clinical teams, we strive to address knowledge gaps, collaborate with and inspire physicians and patients around the world to identify potential educational needs.

I was honored to connect with key external stakeholders this past year on behalf of UCB at different medical congresses, industry events and panels, including the opportunity to provide feedback on the FDA’s proposed Pregnancy Safety Study Framework workshop. 

As advocates for women living with chronic diseases who are navigating life changing moments for themselves and their families, we understand how important it is to resolve the lack of understanding about pregnancy and breastfeeding treatment decisions, ensuring women can make better informed decisions based on facts and inclusivity.

On a personal note, I feel very fortunate to be leading such an important initiative as UCB’s Global Head of Women of Childbearing Age, and every day I am driven to #InspireInclusion and contribute to meaningful progress in this space. Alongside a devoted team, I am embracing this IWD by advocating for and working towards a future where the inclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding women in clinical trials is the norm. In time, we hope that women can make more informed decisions and feel empowered at all ages and stages of their life. 

As I look to the year ahead, I am pleased to share that I will be bringing this important conversation to DIA Global in June. I'm eager to talk about our work towards early data generation for pregnant and lactating women living with chronic diseases. 

Also, as co-chair of the global independent commission, BRIDGE (Better Research, Information and Data Generation for Empowerment) – I look forward to continuing to help elevate these important conversations and deliver practical and action-oriented solutions to overcome information gaps that affect women’s health — the first of which will be detailed in a report due in early 2024. 
Follow me, @MarieTeil, on LinkedIn as well as UCB’s social channels for more updates.