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EVERYTHING
Women’s Health Investment Report Looks Beyond Reproductive Health
What: Geri Stengel breaks down this year’s WHAM report from the JP Morgan Healthcare conference in Forbes. WHAM (Women’s Health Access Matters) makes the case that there’s a ton of untapped business opportunity in women’s health investment, especially when you look beyond just reproductive health.
Key line: “’High-growth opportunities like autoimmune, neurology, and cardio-metabolic diseases reveal a clear path for investors—focus on women as a pivotal patient population and ask for data that reflects the market realities,’ explains Dr. Christina Isacson, Partner, Lightstone Ventures, in the report. ‘This allows us to drive innovation that benefits all while maximizing market opportunity and returns.’”
Source: Forbes
Jennifer Klein Looks Back at Biden White House Gender Policy Council
What: Outgoing White House Gender Policy Council leader Jennifer Klein sat down with the 19th to review what was accomplished during the Biden administration. It was a good reminder of the gains that can go missed in the onslaught of news that came after Roe vs. Wade fell.
Key line: “Klein pointed to the council’s work on gender-based violence as especially significant given that this work is ‘literally the cornerstone of President Biden’s career’ from his days of writing the original 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) longform on a yellow legal pad. When VAWA was most recently reauthorized by Congress with bipartisan support in 2022, the council worked to expand safety and support measures for survivors while also increasing prevention efforts. It pushed for the law to keep pace with technology. The 2022 reauthorization of VAWA created a federal civil cause of action for image-based sexual abuse, or what’s commonly referred to as ‘revenge porn,’ because of the Gender Policy Council’s efforts.”
Source: 19th News
ABORTION ACCESS
More Women Seeking Abortions in Britain Were Using ‘Natural’ Cycle Tracking
What: A survey from Britain found that hormonal contraceptive use among women who were getting an abortion fell from 19% in 2018 to 11% in 2023, while those who reported using a fertility awareness-based method (i.e. tracking their cycle) increased from 0.4% to 2.5% during the same time period. In other words, more women who had unplanned pregnancies were not on hormonal birth control and were trying natural methods.
Key line: “While the rise in abortion rates is multifactorial, one aspect that needs scrutiny is any change in contraceptive use, and particularly this surge in the use of ehealth, including fertility apps, period tracker apps, and natural family planning apps. The possible relationship between these less effective methods of contraception and unplanned pregnancy requires further investigation. However, informing the public about the efficacy of such methods in order to facilitate informed contraceptive choices is needed.”
Source: BMJ
Even with State Amendments Overturning Abortion Bans, State Courts Matter
What: KFF Health News digs into how voters in states keep overturning abortion bans, but state courts are playing a big role in undoing those bans—and the political makeup of those courts matter.
Key line: “In Missouri, where voters passed a constitutional amendment in November to protect abortion access, the new leader of the state Senate, Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican, has proposed switching to nonpartisan elections from the state’s current model, in which the governor appoints a judge from a list of three finalists selected by a nonpartisan commission. …In a case widely expected to reach the Missouri Supreme Court, the state’s Planned Parenthood clinics are trying to use the passage of the new amendment to strike down Missouri’s abortion restrictions, including a near-total ban.”
Source: KFF Health News
MENOPAUSE
USPSTF Maintains Osteoporosis Screening Recommendations
What: The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) maintained its recommendation that women age 65 or older get screened for osteoporosis, as well as women who are postmenopausal under 65 and at increased risk.
Key line: “In 2018, the USPSTF recommended screening for osteoporosis with bone measurement testing to prevent osteoporotic fractures in women 65 years or older and in postmenopausal women younger than 65 years who are at increased risk of osteoporosis, as determined by a formal clinical risk assessment tool. For the current recommendation, the USPSTF has noted that screening can include DXA BMD, with or without fracture risk assessment. The current recommendation is otherwise generally consistent with the 2018 recommendation.”
Source: JAMA
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