The Urgent Need for Change
Women’s Health isn’t a niche issue. It concerns the health of half the population. And yet, the gender gap in healthcare remains overlooked. Women’s Health issues have historically been under-researched, marginalised, and underserved.
This systemic neglect has led to disparities in diagnosis, treatment, and overall health outcomes for women. Addressing these gaps is not just a matter of equality, it is a matter of equity and scientific necessity.
The Male Default in Medicine
On the face of it, it seems obvious that men and women are biologically different, and yet historically women have been excluded from medical research, leading to the assumption that female health outcomes mirror those of men. It wasn’t until 1993 that the U.S. Congress passed the NIH Inclusion Policy, requiring women and minorities to be included in clinical research. Even today, although inclusion is mandated, there is no requirement for data to be analysed by sex, meaning that crucial differences in how diseases manifest and respond to treatment in women remain unexamined.
This oversight has serious consequences. Most medications, including everyday drugs, such as aspirin, were tested on male physiology, leading to incorrect dosages and a higher risk of adverse reactions for women. When women aren’t adequately represented in trials, the questions remain today: are these treatments truly safe and effective?
The viewpoint goes on to explore:
- Medical research still defaults to the male body, resulting in treatments that may be less safe or effective for women.
- Women’s health is narrowly defined, often reduced to reproductive issues, while broader conditions like heart disease and chronic pain are overlooked or misdiagnosed.
- Severe data and funding gaps persist, with only 1% of healthcare innovation funding going to female-specific conditions outside oncology.
- Intersectional disparities amplify the problem, particularly for women of colour and those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- Structural change is essential, including better representation in research, leadership, and policy. There needs to be a collective push to normalise women’s health conversations across society.
