Less than 30 years ago, women were largely excluded from clinical trials, leaving the medical community with limited understanding of how well drugs and medical devices work for women. Today, while progress has been made, the gap in women’s health research remains significant. Many medications and devices still lack adequate testing in women, and the complexity of women’s health — particularly during menopause stages — continues to pose challenges in clinical trial development.

At Womeno, we recognize the critical need to advance clinical research for women, especially during the transformative perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause years that encompass more than 25% of a woman’s life. Addressing this need involves tackling clinical trials recruitment challenges, managing the complexity of women-specific conditions, and ensuring cross-therapeutic expertise is brought to the table.

Historically, women were excluded from medical research due to biases and policies designed to protect their reproductive health, which led to often generalized men’s health outcomes to women. This has contributed to disparities in treatment, such as higher rates of adverse drug reactions in women or misdiagnoses of conditions like heart disease, which may have very different symptoms in men and women. Even today, women account for about 1/3 of the participants in trials for diseases that predominantly affect them, like cardiovascular disease and psychiatric disorders,.

Advancing women’s health research demands more rigorous and inclusive approaches, such as:

• Recruiting and retaining a diverse group of participants, including women going through the different stages of their menopause journey.
• Educating medical professionals on biological sex differences to address disparities in disease prevention and treatment.
• Requiring accountability in clinical trials to ensure adequate representation of women;  and
• Transparent reporting of sex-based data.

Equally important is the need to communicate research findings effectively. Medical terminology can often alienate patients, caregivers, and even busy professionals. Plain language summaries (PLS) are an emerging tool that makes research findings accessible to all, ensuring better shared healthcare decision-making. Providing clear, accurate, and easy-to-understand summaries of clinical research improves trust and engagement among patients, caregivers, and healthcare providers.

At Womeno, we aim to be part of the change by raising awareness, supporting clinical research, and empowering women to take control of their health. Advancing women’s health is not just about understanding biological differences; it’s about building a future where every woman can access the care she deserves.