Pelvic model disrupts education and training

ST. JOHN’S, NL – Granville Biomedical, a startup that launched in 2019, is now selling disruptive women’s health products into 28 countries around the world. It provides anatomically accurate, low-cost pelvic models that empower clinicians, educators and patients with products that promote health equity, evidence-based care, and inclusive design.

The products fill a gap in a market that up until now has relied mainly on car sponges and pieces of fruit as acceptable representations of female anatomy for education and training purposes.

“It has always been my passion to design products for underserved communities, I just never thought that I’d find myself in that group, simply by virtue of being a woman,” said Granville Biomedical CEO Christine Goudie (pictured left), who launched the company with co-founder and nurse practitioner Crystal Northcott (pictured right).

“We believe it’s time to start prioritizing women’s healthcare so we can increase the hands-on confidence of practitioners and educate patients at a higher level because women deserve to know more about their bodies,” she added.

The company’s game-changing models give both health practitioners and patients an unprecedented view of internal anatomy so they can accurately rehearse medical procedures or visualize how products like IUDs, pessaries or menstrual cups work.

Unlike educational models made of rigid plastic, Granville Biomedical models are developed using novel soft tissue formulations that mirror the tactile sensation of a human anatomy as closely as possible, explained Goudie.

The company has tapped into a program coordinated by Mitacs, a leading Canadian innovation organization funded by the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador that helps boost homegrown innovation, and is now exploring digital advances for their model.

“With Mitacs’s support, we’re taking a deep dive into how pressure detection software and AI can be incorporated into our models to assist with advancing hands-on healthcare training,” said Goudie, who is pursuing an Interdisciplinary PhD at Memorial University as part of the Mitacs-funded research. “We wouldn’t have been able to explore this avenue otherwise,” she added.

“Granville Biomedical is an important example of how Canadian innovation fueled by research talent from our own universities can lead to critical new technology,” explained Dr. Stephen Lucas, CEO of Mitacs. “We’re proud to help accelerate made-in-Canada solutions that directly benefit Canadians and strengthen our economy.”

Since 2019, Granville Biomedical has developed a novel vaginal swab for cellular collection, a proprietary COVID-19 testing swab, as well as a suite of anatomical models for rehearsing procedures such as pap smears, IUD insertions, pessary placement, and cervical pathology screening with a visualization model to help practitioners identify various stages of cervical cancer. All models are available in light, medium and dark skin tones, so that all women feel represented.

“If you’re a trainee learning to do a pap smear for the first time, you get a true sense of what it feels like to push cellular collection devices (vaginal swabs, cytobrushes) against a human cervix, so that when you apply the technique to a patient, you’re confident you’re performing the procedure accurately,” said Goudie.

The models are also proving valuable for basic health education and product demonstration, with several device manufacturers expressing interest in using them exclusively, she added.

“We’ve seen evidence to suggest that only 50% of women know what their cervix looks like or where it’s located,” said Goudie. “Sometimes that can lead to fear about using devices like pessaries or IUDs. Our models provide women with a life-like visual aid, so they can make sound decisions about what’s right for their body.”

Later this year, the company will be releasing its first beta app, which is designed to be an educational platform and learning resource for practitioners and trainees. To date, the company has sold its models to obstetrics and gynecological residents, nurse practitioner students, osteopaths, oncologists, pelvic floor specialists, doulas and midwives, sexual wellness advocates, sexual assault (SANE) nurses, and even rape crisis centres around the world.

Vitality Wellness, a clinic in St. John’s, uses the Granville Biomedical model daily to educate patients on pelvic anatomy, demonstrate perineal stretching to pregnant women to help decrease the risk of a higher degree of tears during childbirth, and reduce fear and anxiety related to pap tests. The team even finds it helpful to show teenagers how to insert a tampon for the first time.

“Unlike hard plastic models, this one is a lot closer to human tissue, which makes it easier to demonstrate how to properly perform perineal stretching,” said Vitality Wellness owner and pelvic health physiotherapist Carolyn Pridham. “We also do a lot of education around the use of pessaries to help manage prolapse symptoms and incontinence. The model allows us to show people how the pessary works, removing stigma and helping them to make an informed decision about whether or not to try it.”

Based on new product offerings and consistent international interest, Goudie is projecting exponential growth for Granville Biomedical products over the next three to five years. The company’s largest current markets are the U.S., Canada and Australia, and its products are used at leading Canadian medical schools, including University of British Columbia, University of Toronto and University of Alberta.

“When we started this as a research project in 2019, we had no idea how big the market would be,” said Goudie. “All we had were estimations and a hypothesis that there was a significant gap within women’s health education. By 2023, we moved to mass production and global distribution to meet the international demand – which we believe is a sign of progress within women’s health education around the world.”

About Mitacs
As Canada’s innovation organization, Mitacs connects businesses and researchers with unrivalled access to talent, financial support, and the partnerships needed to turn ideas into impactful innovations. Through unique collaborations, Mitacs is driving productivity and positioning Canada as a global innovation leader. Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada, the Government of Alberta, the Government of British Columbia, Research Manitoba, the Government of New Brunswick, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Nova Scotia, the Government of Ontario, Innovation PEI, the Government of Quebec, the Government of Saskatchewan, and the Government of Yukon.