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Advocates Call for Bipartisan Action on Menopause Research and Care on Capitol Hill

Advocates Call for Bipartisan Action on Menopause Research and Care on Capitol Hill

The Women’s Health Advocates (WHA), the National Menopause Foundation, and Perry are hosting the first-ever Perimenopause and Menopause Capitol Hill Day on September 22. This event brings together over 125 advocates from 29 states to Washington D.C. to push for bipartisan action on critical issues related to menopause. The primary goals include increasing research investment, improving clinician education, expanding access to care, ensuring adequate coverage, and developing supportive workplace policies for menopause. Liz Powell, Esq., MPH, Founder of Women’s Health Advocates, highlighted that despite impacting 71 million women in the U.S., there is currently no legislation addressing gaps in menopause research, education, and care. The event will also feature a congressional briefing with experts from various organizations, following a recent bipartisan congressional hearing on menopause hosted by the Senate Special Committee on Aging, which requested the Government Accountability Office to assess federal...
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U.S. Senate Committee Addresses Menopause Care Gap, Calls for Increased Federal Research and Training

U.S. Senate Committee Addresses Menopause Care Gap, Calls for Increased Federal Research and Training

The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging recently held its first-ever hearing dedicated to menopause, titled 'Half the Country, Zero Hearings: Meeting the Moment to End the Menopause Care Gap in America.' Chaired by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Ranking Member Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), the hearing brought together medical experts, researchers, and women's health advocates to discuss significant deficiencies in menopause research, physician training, and access to treatment. Approximately 2 million women enter menopause annually, experiencing symptoms that can severely impact daily life, including hot flashes, insomnia, mood changes, and brain fog. Senator Gillibrand highlighted that less than 1% of federal women's health research funding is allocated to menopause, and about 80% of OB-GYN residents feel unprepared to discuss menopause. Dr. Jean Wactawski-Wende, a SUNY Distinguished Professor, testified that federal funding for menopause research is inadequate, noting a lack of clinical trials in ...
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Local Physician Addresses Menopause Care Gap Amidst Growing National Attention

Local Physician Addresses Menopause Care Gap Amidst Growing National Attention

Dr. Amy Brenner of Amy Brenner, MD and Associates, is actively working to bridge the 'menopause care gap' by assisting patients in managing a broad spectrum of menopause symptoms and identifying their underlying causes. Dr. Brenner's personal experience with severe menopause symptoms, which she described as 'relentless,' led her to seek hormone replacement therapy, yielding what she called 'life-changing' results. This personal journey motivated her to help other women facing similar challenges. Her practice focuses on comprehensive approaches, including hormone replacement therapy, the use of peptides like GLP-1, and diagnostic testing such as GI map tests to assess gut health and its impact on menopausal symptoms. The federal government has also acknowledged this issue, with a congressional hearing on menopause taking place, and lawmakers advocating for improved treatment options and funding for women's middle-age healthcare needs. Menopause symptoms can encompass hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, ...
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Exclusive: FDA warnings persisted as UTIs turned deadly in menopause

Exclusive: FDA warnings persisted as UTIs turned deadly in menopause

Menopause increases the risk of UTIs which can lead to sepsis and death in older women. For years, the FDA discouraged the one drug that could help.
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Women Explore Experimental Peptides for Menopause Symptom Relief Amidst Medical Frustration

Women Explore Experimental Peptides for Menopause Symptom Relief Amidst Medical Frustration

Women Explore Experimental Peptides for Menopause Symptom Relief Amidst Medical Frustration
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Texas Retreat Offers Women's Wellness Program Focusing on Hormonal Health and Nervous System Regulation

Texas Retreat Offers Women's Wellness Program Focusing on Hormonal Health and Nervous System Regulation

Texas Retreat Offers Women's Wellness Program Focusing on Hormonal Health and Nervous System Regulation
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Maui Wildfire Exposure Study Receives $6 Million Federal Funding to Extend Health Tracking Through 2031

Maui Wildfire Exposure Study Receives $6 Million Federal Funding to Extend Health Tracking Through 2031

The Maui Wildfire Exposure Study, conducted by the University of Hawaiʻi, has secured nearly $6 million in federal funding to prolong and broaden its research. This funding, comprising two grants from the National Institutes of Health, will support Hawaiʻi's most extensive disaster health cohort, extending its duration through 2031. The study aims to continue monitoring 2,000 adult participants from Lahaina and Kula, while also expanding to include 800 children. Alika Maunakea, a professor at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and co-principal investigator, highlighted the importance of understanding how wildfire exposure, displacement, stress, and home changes affect children's lungs, mental health, development, and education. The goal is to identify problems early to enable families, schools, and health systems to intervene effectively. Ruben Juarez, UHERO-HMSA Distinguished Endowed Professor of Health Economics and co-principal investigator, stated that these awards transform the MauiWES from an emerg...
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Longevity Market Overlooks $350 Billion Demand from Women in Perimenopause and Menopause

Longevity Market Overlooks $350 Billion Demand from Women in Perimenopause and Menopause

Longevity Market Overlooks $350 Billion Demand from Women in Perimenopause and Menopause
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Senator Gillibrand and Senator Scott Host First Congressional Hearing on Menopause, Request Federal Investigation

Senator Gillibrand and Senator Scott Host First Congressional Hearing on Menopause, Request Federal Investigation

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), ranking member and chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, alongside Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), has convened the first-ever congressional hearing dedicated to menopause. Expert witnesses at the hearing emphasized the critical need for improved research, training, and care related to menopause. Following the hearing, Senators Gillibrand and Scott submitted a bipartisan request to the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO). This request seeks an investigation into the current coordination and funding mechanisms within the federal government for menopause research and care. Senator Gillibrand highlighted that menopause affects over half of the U.S. population, yet it remains one of the most under-researched, undertreated, and underdiagnosed medical fields. Less than one percent of federal women's health research funding is allocated to menopause, and a significant majority (80%) of OB-GYN residents report feeling unprepared to discuss the topic w...
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Senator Gillibrand and Senator Scott Hold First Congressional Hearing on Menopause, Request Federal Investigation

Senator Gillibrand and Senator Scott Hold First Congressional Hearing on Menopause, Request Federal Investigation

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), serving as ranking member and chairman of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, collaborated with Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) to conduct the first-ever congressional hearing focused on menopause. During the hearing, expert witnesses underscored the critical need to enhance research, training, and care related to menopause. Senators Gillibrand and Scott also submitted a bipartisan request to the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) to examine the current coordination and funding mechanisms for menopause research and care within the federal government. Senator Gillibrand highlighted that menopause affects over half of the U.S. population, yet it remains one of the most under-researched, undertreated, and underdiagnosed medical fields. Less than one percent of federal women's health research funding is allocated to menopause, and a significant 80% of OB-GYN residents report feeling unprepared to discuss the topic, leading to many women with menopausal symp...
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New Blood Tests Show Promise for Early Alzheimer's Detection in Midlife

New Blood Tests Show Promise for Early Alzheimer's Detection in Midlife

A recent NIH-funded study indicates that blood tests may help identify early brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease in individuals in their 50s and 60s. The research involved 1,350 participants who had not been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Scientists measured levels of Alzheimer's-related forms of tau and amyloid-beta proteins in their blood. Participants also underwent cognitive tests, with most having taken similar tests five years prior. The study found that individuals with higher levels of these Alzheimer's-related proteins were more likely to experience a more significant decline in cognitive test scores over time, specifically showing slower thinking speeds and greater memory decline. Dr. Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco, emphasized that Alzheimer's pathology begins years before symptoms manifest, suggesting that early detection could enable patients to address modifiable risk factors and seek early care. However, further studies are necessary before these bloo...
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Oncologists Highlight Environmental Factors and Missed Symptoms in Rising Cancer Rates

Oncologists Highlight Environmental Factors and Missed Symptoms in Rising Cancer Rates

Cancer rates are increasing globally, particularly among adults under 50, with oncologists pointing to environmental exposures as a likely contributing factor. Dr. Christopher Cann, an oncologist at Fox Chase Cancer Center, suggests that pesticides and PFAS play a role, while Dr. Monisha Singh of Houston Methodist Hospital adds pollution, plastics, and recent dietary changes to the list of potential influences. Both experts emphasize the importance of recognizing common, often-missed signs of cancer and advocating for oneself in healthcare. These signs include unintentional weight loss of 10 pounds or more over several weeks to months, chronic fatigue that impacts daily life, changes in urination (especially for men, such as blood or frequent urges), persistent changes in stool habits like blood, black stool, or prolonged constipation/diarrhea, difficulty swallowing, new or changing skin spots, and intense night sweats requiring clothing changes. Early diagnosis is crucial for better prognosis, and individ...