“Today, we gather not just to discuss health but, more importantly, women’s health—She Matters. Her health matters, her voice matters, her future matters. And when she thrives, the world thrives with her.” ~Martha Paiz, Managing Director and General Manager of Merck Inc.
At its second She Matters: Women's Health Summit at Conrad Manila, leading scientific and technology corporation Merck brought together doctors, healthcare executives, lawmakers, and advocates in a shared declaration and call to action to improve women's health at every stage of life as well as global health.
The summit's theme, "Healthy Women, Healthy Economy, Healthy Planet," highlighted the numerous advantages of improving women's health that extend well beyond individual well-being, such as bolstering families, boosting productivity, and promoting social prosperity.
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| Martha Paiz, Managing Director and General Manager of Merck Inc. |
Paiz emphasized that the summit reflects Merck's commitment to enhancing women's health through more collaboration between medical professionals, organizations, and communities.
Cardiometabolic Health: A Growing Concern for Women
One of the major areas of discussion during the summit was cardiometabolic health, which includes diabetes, PCOS, hypertension, and other metabolic disorders that are increasingly affecting women at younger ages.
Experts emphasized that these conditions often go misdiagnosed since women may have minor or odd symptoms, delaying diagnosis and treatment until serious issues like heart attack, stroke, or heart failure occur.
By raising awareness and encouraging early screening and treatment, healthcare experts want to improve long-term health outcomes for women and prevent certain problems from getting worse.
Healthy Women, Healthy Economy
The summit also highlighted the strong relationship between women’s health and economic development.
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Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, Chief Health Officer of Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc. |
“When women are healthy, they can participate fully in society as professionals, caregivers, leaders, and innovators. Investing in women’s health is not only a healthcare priority but also a powerful economic strategy that strengthens communities and economies.” ~Dr. Beverly Lorraine Ho, Chief Health Officer of Ayala Healthcare Holdings, Inc.
Thyroid Health: Small Gland, Big Impact
Another significant topic of discussion at the meeting was thyroid health, which disproportionately affects women.
The thyroid gland is crucial for regulating energy levels, metabolism, fertility, mood, pregnancy outcomes, and cardiovascular health despite its small size. Because symptoms like fatigue, weight fluctuations, irregular menstruation, or infertility can be mild, thyroid problems are occasionally misunderstood.
“Screening for thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy among Filipino women is important because early detection and treatment can protect both the mother and the child. In the Filipino population, strengthening awareness and screening practices can significantly improve maternal and child health outcomes.” ~Dr. Nemencio Nicodemus Jr., President of the Philippine College of Physicians and Professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine
Beyond clinical care, experts also emphasized the need to recognize thyroid disorders as part of the country’s broader noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden.
“Thyroid disorders affect millions of people worldwide, yet they remain under-recognized in many national health agendas. Recognizing thyroid disease as part of the NCD framework can help expand screening, improve treatment access, and elevate public awareness.” ~Dr. Jeremy Robles, Director of the International Society of Endocrinology and Past President of the Philippine Thyroid Association
Plastics, EDCs, and the Future of Women’s Health
The summit also examined the possible impacts of environmental exposures, such as microplastics and endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), on hormonal health.
These substances are increasingly found in food, water, and the atmosphere. They might interfere with the body's hormonal signaling systems, which could affect fertility, metabolic health, and thyroid function.
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| Dr. Renzo R. Guinto, Associate Professor and Lead of the Planetary Health Programme at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute, National University of Singapore |
“Planetary health reminds us that the health of people and the health of the planet are deeply interconnected. Climate change, pollution, and environmental exposures are shaping the diseases we see today. Protecting the environment is therefore essential to protecting human health.” ~Dr. Renzo R. Guinto, Associate Professor and Lead of the Planetary Health Programme at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute, National University of Singapore
Healthy Women, Healthy Planet
The connection between environmental sustainability and women’s health was further emphasized by public health leaders.
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| Dr. Ronald Law, inaugural Director of the Health and Climate Change Office at the Philippine Department of Health |
“Healthy women and a healthy planet go hand in hand. Climate-resilient health systems must place women at the center because protecting their health strengthens families, communities, and future generations.” ~Dr. Ronald Law, inaugural Director of the Health and Climate Change Office at the Philippine Department of Health
A Platform for Advocacy and Collaboration
Raising awareness of women's health issues and promoting more collaboration and practical action were the main objectives of Merck's She Matters: Women's Health Summit. Hospitals, businesses, communities, and national policy discussions must prioritize women's health, the summit reiterated. The summit served as a platform for advocacy that linked medical, policy, and planetary stewardship in addition to being a scientific gathering.
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About Merck
Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere.
Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.
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