The gender health gap describes the unequal treatment of women in medical care and clinical trials. For years, health research has been testing drugs and new treatment methods predominantly on male test subjects, assuming these findings are transferable to women. This assumption indicates that many drugs and treatments are not sufficiently adapted to the female body.
This has serious consequences for women. Women are more likely to experience side effects, with symptoms often underestimated or misinterpreted in studies as well as diagnoses. This creates gaps in medical knowledge, which can lead to mistakes in treatment and research. The Gender Health Gap highlights the importance of evidence-based health research.
Sources:
Galea, Liisa A. & Parekh, Rulan S.; Ending the neglect of women's health in research; in: BMJ (2023); doi: 10.1136/bmj.p1303.
Sarto, Gloria E.; The gender gap: new challenges in women's health; in: Fertility and Sterility 81:2 (2004); doi: 10.1016/S0015-0282(03)01141-5.
Regitz-Zagrosek, Vera & Seeland, Ute; Sex and Gender Differences in Clinical Medicine; in: Regitz-Zagrosek, Vera (ed.); Sex and Gender Differences in Pharmacology: Handbook of Experimental Pharmacology; vol. 214 (2013); doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-30726-3_1.
