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Women represent half the earth\u2019s population, but scientific knowledge about women\u2019s health overall is lacking. Why? Historically, most clinical research was conducted on men. That means there are real gaps in understanding women\u2019s health needs and how women respond to treatments. <\/p>\n
But we do know that women are more likely than men to experience these conditions: <\/p>\n
Overall, almost 4 out of 10 women have a chronic disease, compared to 3 out of 10 men. And more drug manufacturers are striving to develop treatments specifically for women to address a range of conditions.<\/p>\n
According to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) \u201cMedicines in Development 2022 Report,\u201d 625 medicines \u2014 either in clinical trials or under FDA review \u2014 target diseases that disproportionately or solely affect women. (For comparison, 800 drugs are in development for chronic diseases overall.)<\/p>\n
Not every drug in development will become available for patients. Just about 12% of drugs get all the way through the process. But the drug pipeline for women\u2019s health offers a lot of promise \u2014 and millions of women could benefit from these advances.<\/p>\n
Among the women\u2019s health-related drugs in development are:<\/p>\n
Treatments for postpartum depression, endometriosis, rheumatoid arthritis and triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) are also in development.<\/p>\n
Building on progress<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
Over the years, technological and medical advancements have been instrumental in providing treatments and vaccines for women. For example:<\/p>\n
More than 11% of American women have endometriosis, a painful condition that causes tissue growth outside the uterus. The first oral medicine for endometriosis was approved in 2018<\/p>\n
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Medical advances can improve health equity<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
Not only has women\u2019s health been less understood than men\u2019s, but gender bias often leads to misdiagnosis and delays in treatment. Women\u2019s health research and drug development can help raise awareness about women\u2019s unique health needs and ultimately improve gender equity in health and medicine. More than that, new treatments could also improve health equity along racial and ethnic lines. <\/p>\n
One example: Hispanic women are 40% more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer and 20% more likely to die from it than other women. And research shows that Black women are more than twice as likely to die from complications of pregnancy or childbirth than white women.<\/p>\n
Including a more diverse range of women in clinical trials will help scientists learn more about how women of color are affected by diseases. That understanding will pave the way for better treatments, tailored more specifically to health needs in different communities. <\/p>\n
The development of new treatments has the potential to save more lives and to make health care more equitable. Research on women\u2019s health still has a long way to go, but every advancement is one step closer to better healthcare overall.<\/p>\n