Society for Women's Health Research
http://www.womenshealthresearch.org
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Contact Information:
1025 Connecticut Avenue
Suite 701
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-223-8224
Fax: 202-833-3472
E-mail: info@womens-health.org
CENTER DESCRIPTION
The Society for Women's Health Research is the nation's only not-for-profit organization whose sole mission is to improve the health of women through research. Founded in 1990, the Society borught to national attention the need for the appropriate inclusion of women in major medical research studies and the reulsting need for more information about conditions affecting women. The Society advocates increased funding for research on women's health, encourages the study of sex differences that may affect the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, and promotes the inclusion of women in medical research studies.
The Society has experienced great success in recent years, particularly in respect to the April 2001 release of the Institute of Medicine (IOM) report, Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter? The report validated what the Society has been saying for years: differences between the sexes exist in the prevalence and severity of a broad range of diseases, disorders, and conditions.
AREA(S) OF EXPERTISE
Aging; education; environment; equity issues; family; gender studies; health and health care; science and technology.
RECENT ACTIVITIES & ACCOMPLISHMENTS
In Response to the IOM report, initiated and made possible with the support of the Society, a series of regional Scientific Advisory Meetings (SAMs) were scheduled throughout 2001 and 2002-
Responding to the Institute of Medicine Report "Exploring the Biological Contribution to Human Health: Does Sex Matter?" Washington, DC, July 2001.
Conferences on Sex and Gene Expression (SAGE) for basic researchers to explore how biological sex influences the expression of genetic information throughout life were held in Winston-Salem, NC, March 2001, and San Jose, CA, April 2002.
Sex Differences in Immunology and Autoimmunity, in conjunction with faculty at Harvard Medical School, Harvard National Center of Excellence in Women's Health and Brigham & Women's Hospital. Boston, MA, November 2001.
Sex Begins in the Womb, co-sponsored by the Center for Research on Women's Health & Reproductive Medicine, Department of Gynecology & Obstretics, Stanford University School of Medicine. Palo Alto, CA, March 2002.
Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Health and Disease, a satellite symposium of the International Society for Health Research's annual meeting; co-sponsored with the University of Wisconsin Medical School, July 24, 2002, Madison WI.
Sex and Gender Differences in Environmental Health, co-sponsored and funded in part by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and scheduled for October 2002, Research Triangle Park, NC.
The Society sponsored a series of workshops for clinical investigators and study designers. The second workshop, Subgroup Analysis and Statistical Design for Detecting Sex Differences in Clinical Trials, was held in July 2001 in Washington, DC.
Some Things Only a Woman Can Do, a multi-year public education campaign designed to encourage women to participate as clinical research volunteers continued in 2001 with focused outreach to minority populations including women in African American, Asian/Pacific Islander, and Hispanic/Latina communities. Beginning in 2002 the campaign will target older women. The campaign's website is www.womancando.org.
Devoted to the scientific exploration of diseases and conditions that affect women solely, predominantly, or differently, the Isis Fund for Women's Health Research was launched in April 2001. The first meeting of the Network on Sex, Gender, Drugs, and the Brain was held in January 2002. The Isis Fund fosters interdisciplinary research, drawing new investigators and ideas to the study of biological sex differences.
The Society brings together members of the public policy and scientific communities and engages them in efforts to ensure support for and funding of women's health research, as well as a variety of other issues pertaining to such research. Through the successful advocacy of the Society and the Women's Health Research Coalition, leaders from health, medical, and scientific organizations united to support the increased funding and expansion of sex-based research at academic institutions. The following has been accomplished:
Women's health research has seen funding increases throughout the NIH and at the Office of Research on Women's Health at NIH. The Office of Women's Health at the Department of Health and Human Services was given funding increases, as well.
Legislation was introduced that would put Offices of Women's Health at HHS not already authorized into statute.
The Office of Women's Health at the Food and Drug Administration was provided $500,000 for a capability assessment for an agency-wide women's health database that will include demographic data on clinical trials.
The Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH) program at NIH was expanded in 2001. This mentorship program for researchers in in women's health is currently funding twelve programs for five years at a total of $6 million annually; another round of grants will be awarded this year.
Grants for Specialized Centers of Research on Sex and Gender Factors Affecting Women's Health will be awarded in 2002. These centers will provide new opportunities for interdisciplinary approaches that bridge basic and clinical research on sex/gender factors that underlie a priority health issue.
The Scientist magazine published a six part series in early 2002 highlighting the Society and its critical role in realizing the publication of the 2001 IOM report, as well as reviewing sex differences in the biology of males and females.
The Society was highlighted in a sepcial edition of the PBS talk show "To the Contrary," which aired in September 2001. The program featured the first national discussion about how sex-based medicine will revolutionize the way diseases are diagnosed and treated.
The Society is featured on ABCNews.com as a special contributor of information on sex differences in health.
Premiering in October, 2001, the Society's Women's Health Research News Service is the first of its kind to specialize in content on women's health issues and the latest research findings on sex differences. More than 800 members of the media receive the articles.
Launched in March, 2002, the Society's new web site at www.womens-health.org features comprehensive and up-to-date information for scientists, policymakers, women's health research advocates, and the general public on the Society, women's health research, and policy issues.
The Society's quarterly newsletter, Sexx Matters, is mailed to more than 5,000 recipients and provides information on Society activities, women's health research findings, and other women's health information.
The Society published numerous reports and videos that can be purchased on the Society's website.
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