Beyond Binary Policy: Precision Medicine Requires Sex-Inclusive Research

An analysis of over 1300 medical conditions found women receive diagnoses 2 years later than men for the SAME diseases. 𝐖𝐡𝐲? Because 68% of studies include both sexes, but only 5% actually analyze sex as a variable.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐭? $𝟏 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬.

Take Alzheimer's research. Two-thirds of patients are women, yet the new FDA drug Lecanemab works better in men. 

𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆'𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕'𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒏: Every cell in your body carries sex chromosomes, it isn't just not just reproductive organs bringing about change. Yet we still default to male-only models and are calling female symptoms "atypical."

The solution isn't just including more women - it's analyzing the data we already have differently.

Want to learn more? Read the full commentary written by Dr. Andrew McGovern, Dr. Kristen Montgomery and Dr. Liisa Galea for the BJOG.