News
Flo Health denies claims it unlawfully shared app users’ data with Meta
Europe’s first femtech ‘unicorn’ has denied claims that it unlawfully shared users’ personal data with the social media platform Meta.
The period-tracking app Flo Health is facing a possible multi-million dollar data privacy lawsuit in the US, accused of unlawfully sharing app users’ personal data with Meta for targeted advertising.
The case, which is taking place in San Francisco, began on Monday, 21 July and involves five named claimants who say they did not permit personal data, including the dates and lengths of the periods, to be shared with the social media platform, Sifted reports.
Flo Health denies all of the claims made against it, and Meta, which is also on trial, denies receiving any sensitive data from the company.
Flo Health is considered to be Europe’s first FemTech unicorn after raising $230 million (£155.7m) in Series C investment in July 2024.
Founded in 2015, the app now has over 75 million active users, according to the company’s LinkedIn page, allowing people to track period and ovulation cycles, monitor symptoms and access personalised health insights and educational content on topics such as pregnancy and perimenopause.
Claimants say that Flo integrated tracking tools, including Meta’s software development kits, which automatically transmitted sensitive personal data as users engaged with the app, according to reports from Law360.
They are seeking $1,000 in statutory damages under California’s medical privacy law for 13 million Flo users who downloaded and registered on the app between late 2016 and early 2019, meaning the company could face up to $13bn in potential damages.
Claims brought against Google for the same as part of the same case were settled earlier in July 2025 for an undisclosed sum.
In a statement to Femtech World, a spokesperson for Flo said: “Flo is committed to protecting the privacy of its users, and any allegation otherwise has no merit. We are building a better future for women, and are steadfast in our commitment to protecting your privacy and data.”
Calls for stricter regulation in femtech
In 2021, users of the app filed a lawsuit against Flo, Google and Meta following a settlement between Flo and the Federal Trade Commission after allegations that the company shared health information with third-party advertising companies without permission.
Flo denies these claims and says it agreed to settle the matter to “avoid the time and cost associated with litigation”.
A report from Cambridge’s Minderoo Centre for Technology and Democracy, published last month, called for stricter regulation and governance of femtech apps, highlighting how menstrual cycle tracking tools are a “gold mine” for consumer profiling.
In the report, lead author Dr Stefanie Felsberger argues that the financial worth of this data is “vastly underestimated” by users who supply profit-driven companies with highly intimate details in a market lacking in regulation, leaving them at risk of data and privacy breaches.
However, in a LinkedIn post from 12 June, Sue Khan, vice president of privacy and data protection officer at Flo, responded to the report stating: “We have never – and will never – monetise or sell user data. We do not see personal data as a commodity, and categorically reject the notion that women’s health data should be treated as a goldmine for advertising.”
Potential impacts for the wider sector
Stephanie Caird, life sciences partner at UK law firm Mills & Reeve, told Femtech World that while data and privacy laws differ significantly between jurisdictions, the case against Flo may well lead to calls for stricter regulation of femtech apps, with potentially wide-reaching implications for the whole sector.
“We suspect that the case might fuel calls for stronger regulation of cycle tracking and other femtech apps,” Caird says.
“We would note that the data privacy regime in the US differs from the UK and Europe, particularly as different states have slightly different rules on personal data, and there is an overarching federal law relating to protected health information [Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act].
“Even so, if there is a decision that the sharing of data by Flo was improper, the effects could be felt here in the UK, as user trust and confidence in the security of their personal data and how this is being used may be undermined. This could lead to nervousness from users impacting the wider femtech sector, which could further reduce engagement with and investment in an already underfunded eco-system.”
Caird adds: “It is worth noting that there are already a variety of frameworks in place in the UK which, when taken together, should be providing a sufficiently robust framework to protect users’ data.”
Menopause
Medichecks acquires My Menopause Centre to expand specialist hormone health services
Digital diagnostics company Medichecks has acquired specialist menopause health platform and clinic My Menopause Centre.
The deal is part of Medichecks’ move into clinical services and follows its earlier purchase of Leger Clinic, creating what the company describes as a hormone health offering for women and men across the UK.
Medichecks and My Menopause Centre will combine digital services with clinical governance. The acquisition aims to enhance Medichecks’ ability to deliver integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support.
The combined group plans to grow its specialist hormone health services, supporting patients across the UK with clinical care throughout different stages of their hormone health journey.
Helen Marsden, co-founder of Medichecks, said: “At Medichecks, our mission is to make healthcare more accessible, evidence-based and patient-centred.
“Helen and Clare have built an outstanding, clinically credible platform that is transforming menopause care for women across the UK.
“Medichecks now owns two CQC Outstanding-rated clinics, the only clinics in their respective sectors to achieve this rating, and we are deeply committed to delivering safe, compassionate and patient-centric care.
“We’re proud to continue the founders’ legacy while supporting the next stage of growth, ensuring more women can access high-quality menopause care when they need it most.”
The CQC, or Care Quality Commission, is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
The acquisition supports Medichecks’ plans to make hormone healthcare more accessible by delivering integrated testing, diagnosis and ongoing clinical support for patients across the UK.
Helen Normoyle, co-founder and chief executive of My Menopause Centre, said: “We set out to build something resilient, clinically credible and scalable, not just fast.
“Our mission has always been to make menopause care compassionate, accessible and grounded in evidence. Medichecks shares that vision.
“Their digital platform, commitment to clinical excellence and patient-centred care make them the ideal partner to take My Menopause Centre into its next chapter.
“This milestone reflects not only a strong product, but a remarkable team and community.
“I’m deeply proud of what we’ve built and excited to see My Menopause Centre grow further under Medichecks’ leadership.”
Menopause
Menopause specialist Haver joins Midi Health
Menopause specialist Dr Mary Claire Haver has been appointed as the first chief agewell officer at virtual care clinic Midi Health.
In the role, Dr Haver will work with Midi’s clinical team to develop the AgeWell platform, described as a proactive health model that integrates perimenopause and menopausal care with metabolic health, bone density, brain health and cardiovascular risk assessment.
The platform aims to provide preventative care targeting what the company describes as the primary drivers of female mortality and disability: heart disease, bone loss and cognitive decline.
Joanna Strober, chief executive and co-founder of Midi Health, said: “Longevity care has historically ignored women’s biology, especially during the critical windows of midlife and menopause.
“At Midi Health, we are committed to extending healthspan, not just lifespan, and making that care accessible to millions of women as a core pillar of their health.
“By collaborating with Dr Haver, we are ensuring women continue to have access to care designed for their bodies, their hormones, and their real lives.”
Dr Haver is board-certified in obstetrics and gynaecology, a Menopause Society certified practitioner, a certified culinary medicine specialist and an adjunct associate professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at The University of Texas Medical Branch.
After a career in academic medicine, Dr Haver founded The Pause Life, described as a science and education-based resource for women navigating perimenopause and the menopause transition.
Through her books, unPaused podcast and digital platform, she has provided education on midlife health.
Dr Mary Claire Haver said: “I have spent my career advocating for women to receive the science-backed, no-nonsense guidance they deserve.
“I chose to partner with Midi Health because they are the only platform with the scale and medical rigour to deliver the kind of care women deserve, regardless of their zip codes.
“Together, we are setting a new standard for proactive, preventative care that meaningfully extends both lifespan and healthspan for women.”
Entrepreneur
Kate Ryder headlines Women’s Health Week USA 2026 as full agenda goes live
Women’s Health Week USA 2026 has unveiled its first populated agenda, anchored by an opening keynote from Kate Ryder, Founder and CEO of Maven Clinic, and featuring a cross-sector lineup shaping the next phase of scale in women’s health.
You can view the full agenda here.
Taking place May 13–14, 2026, at the New York Academy of Medicine, Women’s Health Week USA brings together the full women’s health ecosystem to focus on one central question: what does it take to move women’s health from innovation to institutional scale?
Kate Ryder will open Day 1 with a keynote drawing on her experience building Maven Clinic into the world’s largest virtual clinic for women’s and family health.
Under her leadership, Maven has partnered with employers and health plans to deliver care across fertility, maternity, postpartum, paediatrics, and menopause at scale.
Her perspective sets the tone for a program centered on commercialisation, partnership, and sustainable growth.
Beyond the opening keynote, the newly released agenda reflects the sector’s growing maturity.
Across two days, the program features 70+ speakers, with representation from leading organizations including the FDA, Planned Parenthood, CVS Health Ventures, Samsung Next, NIH, WHO, and Maven Clinic.
Sessions span investment and deal flow, clinical innovation, regulation, data and technology, and market expansion, alongside dedicated pitch sessions and curated 1:1 matchmaking designed to turn insight into action.
The agenda has been built to facilitate meaningful connections across the ecosystem, with partnerships positioned as the primary driver of scale.
As women’s health continues to attract institutional capital and global attention, Women’s Health Week USA 2026 offers a clear snapshot of where the market is heading, and who is shaping it.
The full agenda is now live, with additional speakers and partners to be announced in the coming months.
View the full programme here.
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