Show me the money, Gastein says

The Gastein conference featured discussions on critical health topics, including gender health equity and the impact of digital technology on youth. A significant finding from a survey of 1,000 young Austrians revealed that 75% follow influencers, with half of their content generated by these figures. This raises concerns about the addictive nature of gaming and social media, particularly among adolescents, as highlighted by a recent WHO study. The conference also addressed the gender health gap, emphasizing the need for increased funding for women's health initiatives. Despite 70% of women’s health start-ups being founded by women, only 2% of the $42 billion invested in health tech in 2023 was allocated to female health. This disparity underscores the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the health tech sector. Experts called for better data disaggregation in clinical trials to ensure that women's health issues are adequately addressed. Peggy Maguire from the European Institute of Women’s Health stressed the importance of developing guidelines for this purpose. Additionally, the conference coincided with climate week in New York, where health was recognized as a crucial theme. The Global Climate and Health Alliance reported that 2 billion people have faced health risks due to extreme heat, urging governments to commit to sustainable practices at upcoming climate conferences.