Top Five Women’s Health Stories of 2006 As Selected by the Society for Women's Health Research

Newswise — The Society for Women's Health Research announced the top five women’s health stories of 2006 today, as selected by its scientific programs staff. The list covers advances in research of particular interest to women and new sex-specific treatments.

“The public’s attitude toward women’s health has evolved greatly since the Society was founded in 1990,” said Phyllis Greenberger, M.S.W, president and CEO of the Society for Women's Health Research, a Washington, D.C., based advocacy organization. “When we began, the general consensus was that the only differences between women and men were in the reproductive system. The research now being conducted and the stories being reported verify that sex differences span the entire health spectrum.”

The top women’s health stories of 2006 as determined by the Society for Women's Health Research are:

1. FDA Approves a Vaccine to Prevent Cervical Cancer
The FDA approved in June a vaccine against human papillomavirus (HPV), a common sexually transmitted virus that causes most cases of cervical cancer. This is the first cancer vaccine ever approved, and it protects against the strands of HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer cases. An estimated 10,000 women in the United States develop cervical cancer each year and nearly 4,000 die from it annually. The vaccine has the potential to reduce those numbers dramatically. It will make an even larger impact in developing countries, where cervical cancer is the second largest cancer killer of women. Additional cervical cancer vaccines are in development.

2. Emergency Contraceptive Gains Over the Counter Approval
After delays of almost three years, the FDA decided in August to give women 18 and older access to Plan B emergency contraception without a prescription. If taken within 72 hours of intercourse, Plan B can prevent pregnancy. Some political interest groups opposed broader access to Plan B, arguing it promotes sexual promiscuity, but no data backs that claim. An FDA advisory committee voted overwhelmingly in 2005 to support Plan B over-the-counter access to Plan B without an age restriction. Some groups continue advocating for that position. Plan B raised serious questions about the impact of politics on the FDA’s scientific decision making process, and many groups called for broad reforms to strengthen the agency’s scientific integrity and independence.

3. Mounting Evidence about the Dangers of Smoking
Research evidence continues to mount that cigarette smoke harms health well beyond the respiratory system, especially in women. Studies released in 2006 noted the deleterious connection between smoking in women and, for example, bladder cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, and in-vitro fertilization success. One study also reported that women are less aware of their increased risk of developing lung cancer as a result of smoking compared to men, signaling the need for greater public education.

4. Sex-Specific Knee Replacements
As part of the growing trend toward medical treatments and devices tailored to an individual patient’s needs, 2006 saw the introduction of a knee replacement designed for women. Previously, women facing knee replacement surgery were limited to devices designed for men. A new device is now available to better replicate the way a woman’s knee bones are shaped and the way her joints move, both of which are different from men. This will provide greater options to women in whom previous implants may not have worked optimally.

5. Research Sheds More Light on Health Disparities
Thanks to improved research practices that appropriately include and analyze diverse patient populations, 2006 produced further documentation that women, minorities and older Americans often suffer disparities when it comes to the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease. From heart disease to cancer, studies repeatedly revealed that race, sex, gender, age, cultural barriers, and socioeconomic factors are primary reasons why some groups consistently experience poorer outcomes in major health areas. This research underscores the need for more work to develop tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment that are responsive to an individual’s unique status.