Meet Sue Khan: Paving the way for women’s health

This Women’s History Month, we’re delighted to speak with one of the top leaders in the FemTech industry, Sue Khan. As the Vice President of Privacy and Data Protection Officer at Flo Health, Sue’s passionate about its mission to build a better future for female health. Here’s how Flo is paving the way to protect user information and champion women’s wellness.

Sue Khan: I have been lucky to have spent my formative years living internationally, in Scotland, Saudi Arabia, and New York. I’m now settled in London, with my husband and two daughters.

My parents are Bengali and were doctors, and I grew up observing my mother providing essential healthcare to women in need. While I didn’t follow the family profession of medicine, I’m playing my part from a different angle, in advancing the cause of female reproductive health.

Flo’s mission is to build a better future for female health. Historically, women’s health has been under-researched and under-funded, leaving women to navigate their symptoms without adequate support.

Flo empowers women by providing a platform to track their menstrual cycles, fertility, sexual and overall reproductive health. Then, insights can enable women to learn more about their health, advocate for themselves in the doctor’s office, and make informed decisions.

User data and privacy are paramount for Flo. As the most downloaded female health app worldwide with 60M users, it’s our responsibility to pave the way for the highest privacy and security standards. Staying at the forefront of data security requires cross-industry collaboration, which is why in 2023, we launched a Privacy and Security Advisory Board with appointees from across industries.

Beyond this, our award-winning Anonymous Mode feature [found in the app] was recognized as one of Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas, as well as Time’s Best Inventions of 2023.

Privacy is not a “hard sell” at Flo. Privacy is an expectation, an opportunity and a differentiator. Implementing privacy by design and default is fundamental to us as an organization.

Whether it’s for work, socializing, or family commitments, I’m always on the move and rely heavily on apps in my day-to-day life. Anything from banking (love Revolut), food delivery, podcasts, and TV streaming, to managing my kids’ school activities. Living in London, I also cannot function without Citymapper!

I’m currently figuring out how to use the Lutron app to control some lights in my house. Why flick a switch when I can use an app?! [app availability varies by market]

The rise of smartwatch adoption marks a transformative shift in women's health, offering a more holistic approach to wellbeing. These devices empower women by tracking physical activity, monitoring sleep patterns, and providing personalized insights.

This real-time data fosters self-awareness, enabling proactive health management and early issue detection. Smartwatches also have the capacity to enhance communication with healthcare professionals, ensuring more personalized care and deeper collaboration.

Studies, surveys, and health outcomes show us that there's still a long way to go when it comes to ensuring equal access to women’s health information. For example, while 70% of women in India report menstrual health issues, 82% of girls in Malawi reported having no knowledge of menstruation before their first period.

Flo’s Pass It On Project offers the power of health literacy to women living in countries where access to safe and credible health information is limited. Through this project, we’ve made Flo Premium available to 1 billion women worldwide. As of today, more than 10 million women worldwide are using Flo Premium for free.

Keep speaking up. Share your instincts or concerns with your loved ones, friends, or healthcare providers. Utilizing apps like Flo for personalized health tracking are critical tools to help women advocate for their unique health needs. In a time where women often feel misunderstood and unheard in the doctor’s office, it’s essential to speak up and demand the appropriate guidance and support.

Flo acknowledges the substantial gap in research related to female health and we’re committed to narrowing this divide by providing an accessible service to address this gap.

Our team is engaged in collaborative efforts with universities, institutions, and researchers, offering aggregated insights from de-identified data. We’re dedicated to maintaining the confidentiality and security of individuals' data while contributing to the advancement of research in female health.

There’s so much more to do in this industry, and some exciting businesses and innovations on the horizon! I’m seeing an increased prevalence of FemTech accelerator programs and seed funding being allocated to progress the plight of improving women’s health.

I’m inspired by Erin Sivyer Lee, the CEO of Flow Neuroscience. She’s seeking to redefine depression treatments, making them simple and accessible for everyone (and she’s a powerhouse!).

I also avidly follow the motivational Reshma Saujani, the founder of Girls Who Code and Moms First. If you haven’t seen it already – watch her 2023 Smith’s College address on imposter syndrome and #bicycleface!