European medical research still centers on male bodies, harming women's health
The article highlights how European medical studies have historically used the male body as the default, leading to gaps in knowledge and treatment for women.
Despite advances in modern medicine, European research still treats the male body as the norm, a practice reflected in statistics that reveal most clinical trials lack sex-specific data and virtually no studies involve pregnant or nursing women. Historically, researchers avoided the hormonal complexities of female bodies, creating a knowledge base that overlooks conditions such as endometriosis, which can take years to diagnose, and menopause, which remains poorly understood.
These omissions permeate diagnostic standards, drug dosages and treatment protocols, resulting in higher rates of misdiagnosis, especially for cardiovascular disease in women. Funding trends exacerbate the issue, with only a tiny percentage of global R&D allocated to women's health. The article calls for mandatory sex- and gender-based analysis in EU-funded projects, better alignment of funding with disease prevalence, and updated medical education to improve outcomes for half the population.
Why it matters
Bias in medical research leads to poorer diagnosis and treatment for women, affecting health outcomes across Europe.
In this story
