What Is Gender-Specific Medicine and Research?

Gender-Specific Medicine and Research recognise that male and female physiologies are different, meaning a tailored approach to treatment is necessary to get the best results for the individual.

Early research suggested that genes were identical in male and female bodies. 

Thanks to research from the Foundation of Gender-Specific Medicine, they discovered that even identical genes are expressed differently in male and female bodies.

Therefore, on a purely biological level, male and female bodies have different hormone levels, cell creation, and physiology resulting in certain medicines behaving differently depending on who is taking them.

Additionally, gender can also impact how an individual might seek medical help and how they receive medical assistance.

Why Is It Important to Normalise Gender-Specific Medicine and Research?

The average person does not realise that current medicine and research standards treat humans as a whole entity. 

Modern medicine doesn’t take into account the differences between the sexes, therefore it is unlikely that the average person would ask a doctor if the treatment is suitable for them based on their sex.

People need to feel confident and empowered to ask their doctors questions about the treatment and medication they receive. Questions such as, what are the risks, what are the benefits, what are the side effects and whether they have been trialled appropriately on both men and women.

To be able to ask those questions, we need to reach a stage where gender-specific medicine has been normalised and the relevant data is available to all medical practitioners.

Historically, there has been a higher impact on women who have been left out of clinical trials, and even now, there is a lower recruitment rate of women in clinical trials.

If not enough women participate in clinical trials and research, the data will remain limited, resulting in slow progress in the normalisation of gender-specific medicine.

A real-life example of why normalising gender-specific medicine is so important is that a lot of women still believe that breast cancer is the number one killer of women.

However, research suggests that the biggest killer is heart disease which is typically misdiagnosed, especially in women, since most of the clinical trials took place on middle-aged white men.

Heart disease can be preventable if caught in time, which is why normalising gender-specific medicine and research is so important as it has the ability to save lives.

In a recent Narratives of Purpose podcast episode, Petronela Sandulache spoke about her personal experience of losing someone close to her to a disease that could have been prevented had the correct information been available.

Unfortunately, Petronela’s experience isn’t unique.

Many women have been failed by a healthcare system that is skewed toward men as evidenced by the experiences of women on the blog Heart Sisters.

The creator of the Heart Sisters blog, Carolyn Thomas, presented herself in the emergency room at the hospital suffering from the “typical” signs and symptoms of a heart attack but was told she was suffering from acid reflux.

Thankfully, these women are raising awareness around the topic of heart disease in women.

Petronela’s mission is to make “women’s hearts beat longer” through her digital start-up Cordifio Health, learn more about her inspiring story here.

By normalising gender-specific medicine and research, we are creating a more equal society where men and women are treated as individuals.

Challenges of Normalising Gender-Specific Medicine and Research

1) Lack of Data

There are many challenges when it comes to normalising gender-specific medicine and research, but the main problem seems to be the lack of available data.

Many entrepreneurs such as Thao Nguyen founder of Equal Care and Ann Marie de Lange leader of the FemiLab research group agree that there is very little data related to gender-specific medicine.

For people like Thao and Ann Marie, their mission is made harder by the need for useable data to advance their goals. 

They either need to develop the data by doing their own research or by finding the correct experts to help them which takes a lot of time and perseverance.

Thao’s main focus with Equal Care is to bring gender-specific medicine to the masses. She is doing that by developing a certification and labelling system for medicine which has been trialled by gender/sex.

However, during a recent Narratives of Purpose podcast episode she admitted that the majority of her time is now taken up by creating a database for gender-segregated evidence where doctors can look up the information required.

This is one of the other key challenges for normalising gender-specific medicine and research.

2) Accessibility of Data for Medical Professionals

Doctors and healthcare professionals still don’t know how to access research and medicines that have been trialled based on sex and gender.

Sadly, doctors don’t have the time to research on behalf of the patient, which is why a database like Thao is developing could be invaluable for both doctors and patients alike.

The current norms for the treatment of most diseases and illnesses are based on male physiology.

Education and training are also still based on signs and symptoms displayed by male patients, which inevitably leads to misdiagnosis in women.

Another real-life example is that many women have been diagnosed with depression, indigestion and anxiety when in fact they have been suffering from heart disease.

Again, this is due to the implementation of traditional training on the signs and symptoms of heart disease or heart attacks.

Men will describe having a crushing feeling in their chest, or an elephant sitting on their chest, whereas women may simply say they don’t feel well.

This is a prime example of how experience, pain tolerance and language usage are expressed differently between men and women.

Ann Marie de Lange leader of the FemiLab research group in Lausanne believes that there exists enough knowledge and training for clinicians to start treating individuals based on gender-specific research.

The next challenge will be to get gender-specific medicine and research accepted, not just within start-ups and research groups, but a systematic change across the board.

3) Funding

To continue gender-specific research and to truly bring it to the masses, there is a need for this type of medicine to be taken seriously.

Private-sector investment and government-level policy changes will ultimately move the needle on this crucial topic in healthcare.

Women’s health projects only receive aprroximately 1% of funding in the healthcare sphere, as it is still seen as a niche subject.

When policymakers and changemakers come together to support essential research projects, like those bridging the gender health gap, evidence shows that there is a significant improvement in research quality and publication rates.

It’s hugely important to normalise gender-specific medicine so that policymakers see the benefits of supporting this type of research so that change can happen.

The Future of Normalising Gender-Specific Medicine and Research

A common theme between the women leading various start-ups like Thao Nguyen and Ann Marie de Lange is the desire to work towards a common goal, normalising gender-specific medicine and research.

These women want to work together and collaborate to make the research and data more accessible for doctors and healthcare professionals, ultimately improving the overall healthcare system.

The Narratives of Purpose podcast series on women’s healthcare has highlighted the growing need for a better understanding of women’s health.

The podcast has also showcased several start-ups and entrepreneurs who are leading the way in developing companies and organisations focused on bridging the gender gap within healthcare.

Women are ready to push for change and demand better treatment within the healthcare sphere.

So there is continued optimism that momentum is building within areas such as Femtech, clinical trial research, AI and gender-specific research.

If you’d like to learn more about all of these areas, then head over to the Narratives of Purpose podcast and share your thoughts and experiences.