The Persisting Gap in Women’s Health  

For centuries, women’s bodies were considered atypical by doctors. Despite women representing nearly half of the global population, they frequently experience a healthcare system designed for men.  

The gap began in 1977, when the FDA excluded women of reproductive potential from Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials unless they had a life-threatening condition. This reaction was due to the drug tragedy of thalidomide. Thousands of European and Australian women took thalidomide to help with morning sickness, but it was later found to cause severe birth defects and, in some cases, death for their babies.

"This ongoing gender health gap has had real consequences, deterring women from seeking help and leading to a lower quality of life."

So, just because the FDA didn’t research thalidomide enough does that mean women shouldn’t be considered in clinical trials? How is that our fault? 

The reversal didn’t come until 1993. Sixteen years later. 

This underrepresentation contributed to the lack of funding and gaps in medical knowledge. This ongoing gender health gap has had real consequences, deterring women from seeking help and leading to a lower quality of life.  

Many medical researchers go as far as avoiding studies on female mice due to higher costs related to purchasing, the fluctuation of hormones, and the reproductive systems of female mice potentially affecting the study results. This begs the question: are women’s “complicated” hormones really to blame for everything? 

NO.  

The female reproductive system is framed as a flaw by society due to the failure and unwillingness to invest time into understanding how it works and how it can affect women day to day.

From Delayed Clinical Trials to Delayed Clinical Care  

Weak research output leads to weak clinical care. 

Adverse drug reactions

The failure to study medication in a broad sample of women has contributed to women experiencing adverse effects from medication, at twice the rate of men. A study conducted in 2013 found that women with metal hip replacements were 29% more likely than men to experience implant failure. This is likely due to anatomical differences and inadequate testing in women. 

Endometriosis 

Endometriosis is a long-term health condition in which cells similar to those of the lining in the womb, grow outside of the womb accompanied by chronic inflammation. It reportedly affects 10% of reproductive-aged women. 

The field of endometriosis is heavily under-researched, leading to slower innovation and treatment. There is an average 7–12-year delay from symptom onset to surgical diagnosis, causing physical and emotional harm to women suffering from this condition.  

Once you are eventually diagnosed, available therapies leave 11-19% of patients with no improvement, with an additional 5-16% of patients left with side effects.  

There is no winning.  

Widespread gynaecological conditions such as endometriosis, premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), fibroids, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and heavy menstrual bleeding are highly prevalent but very often dismissed as “women’s problems”.  

The dismissive nature of our healthcare system causes many women to suffer in silence or be misdiagnosed. 

A SeekHer report found that 83% of women reported minimising their needs to avoid burdening others. Women should not be living in worry, wondering whether or not they will be taken seriously.  

Why should we minimise our pain to fit the convenience of the medical system? They should make it convenient for us!  

"Bridging the gender pain gap won’t happen overnight, but closing the gap is about fairness and justice."

So, what do we do about it? 

The future holds a genuine chance to move women’s health from the margins to the centre of medical research and delivery. But how do we do this? 

• Fund the science at scale. With dedicated and protected research into women-specific conditions (endometriosis, PCOS, menopause.) 

• Shorten the evidence-to-care lag. Faster publication and share of trial results can speed translation into therapies.  

• Fix the delivery system. Ring-fenced budgets, one-stop hubs, women’s health physiotherapy as a low-cost cornerstone, and self-referral are all validated by the high return on investment (£11 economic benefit per £1 invested.) 

Bridging the gender pain gap won’t happen overnight, but closing the gap is about fairness and justice. We must provide healthcare professionals with the knowledge and tools to address women’s health conditions. We must ensure that being a woman is not a risk factor for receiving healthcare.  

And we must continue to listen to women’s voices.