While increased research into some women's health issues, including breast and cervical cancer, has resulted in significant progress in the past 20 years, few gains have been made in other areas, such as reducing unintended pregnancy, according to a government-sponsored report released on Thursday, the Wall Street Journal reports. The study was conducted for HHS by the National Academy of Science's Institute of Medicine. It found that while there has been progress in research into life-threatening diseases, other conditions that are not necessarily associated with high death rates -- but that still negatively affect women's lives -- have not received the same attention. The study analyzed research in ongoing racial disparities, such as why black women are more likely to die from breast cancer than white women, even though they have lower rates of the disease. The study suggests increasing research into women's health disparities within certain populations.
It also recommends that researchers analyze and report study results separately for men and women. Historically, studies have included fewer women than men because of researchers' concerns that women might become pregnant and a false belief that data on men could easily be extrapolated to women.
The report also says that FDA should ensure that companies comply with requirements to provide sex-specific data regarding the safety of new drugs and devices. It also recommends that HHS create a panel to help women understand conflicting findings regarding women's health (Jackson Randall, Wall Street Journal, 9/23).
'Nightly News' Features Study
NBC's "Nightly News" on Thursday examined the findings of the study. The segment featured comments from Nancy Adler, a medical psychology professor at the University of California-San Francisco who led the committee that evaluated the research, and Ethel Siris of New York Presbyterian Hospital, a leading expert on osteoporosis (Bazell, "Nightly News," NBC, 9/23).
Reprinted with kind permission from http://www.nationalpartnership.org. You can view the entire Daily Women's Health Policy Report, search the archives, or sign up for email delivery here. The Daily Women's Health Policy Report is a free service of the National Partnership for Women & Families.
© 2010 National Partnership for Women & Families. All rights reserved.
Note: Any medical information published on this website is not intended as a substitute for informed medical advice and you should not take any action before consulting with a health care professional. For more information, please read our terms and conditions.
