Gender Equity in Medical Research
Gender Equity in Medical Research (GEM). Most diseases affect men and women, but because of scarcity of medical research on women, we are just beginning to learn how gender affects prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes. In both the United States and Israel, Hadassah is advocating for policy change and funding for medical research that benefits women and men equally.
HMO EFFORTS:
Dr. Donna Zfat-Zwas, Director of the Linda Joy Pollin Cardiovascular Wellness (LJPCW) Center, is in the vanguard of advocating in Israel’s Knesset to remedy the disparities in medical research.
- HMO is embarking on two cardiovascular studies to investigate the gender differences between perception of chest pain relating to a heart attack and effects of anticoagulant drugs.
- The LJPCW Center has partnered with Dr. Rivka Pollak of the Endocrinology Department at HMO to investigate the female heart’s response to menopause. The study is identifying the differences in heart anatomy and function in mice once the ovaries are removed.
AMERICAN INFLUENCE:
In the US, Hadassah is driving momentum for greater gender equity in medical research.
- Hadassah—with critical support from our Nurses and Physicians Councils—is educating and empowering women around this issue.
- Hadassah is a proud endorser of the Research for All Act and other policy initiatives to ensure that medical research benefits women and men equally.
NEXT STEPS:
- In Israel, Dr. Zfat-Zwas’s policy recommendation calls for initiatives in 4 areas: government policy, health services, research, and education. HMO continues to advocate and promote these crucial recommendations.
- Become a Hadassah Advocate to attend or plan a Day in the District in your community.
- Send messages to your Members of Congress in support of the Research for All Act via the Hadassah National Action Center.
- Learn more about Hadassah's advocacy for Gender Equity in Medical Research.
With medical research advancing at a rapid pace, we need to ensure that studies are designed to benefit both women and men. Help us serve all of humanity.
From Around the Web
When gender makes a difference - The Jerusalem Post, February 7, 2016
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