Is Medical Research Sexist?

According to a study that was published on Monday, it appears that medical research may be sexist. According to the findings of the study, women are not well represented in clinical studies compared to men.

Women aren’t equally included in medical research – photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Though women’s numbers have increased in medical research over the past 20 years, according to Dr. Paula Johnson, the author of the report, it isn’t enough. This is largely thanks to a law that was passed back in 1993 requiring any government funded medical research to represent women in their studies.

Johnson is the Executive Director of the Connors Center for Women’s Health at Brigham & Women’s Hospital in Boston and released her findings at a national summit on women’s health that was held there Monday.

The problem with not including women in these studies is that their bodies may react differently to various forms of medical treatment then a mans body.

One reason for this imbalance is that women only make up 5 percent of academic departments at U.S. medical schools, leaving the research to be primarily conducted by men.

However, this isn’t all a direct attempt to blatantly ignore women in medical testing. Often times women are excluded from various medical research because the effects of untested drugs aren’t known and could effect women in more devastating ways such as fertility and hormone issues.

Regardless, women are calling for more balance in medical research and hope that as more women begin to take positions in academic departments that the balance will be struck.

Is Medical Research Sexist?

News Source: americanlivewire.com