The Impact of Sex and Gender in Medicine and Pharmacology.

Abstract

Sex and gender play a pivotal role in health and disease. Differences can be identified in symptoms, biomarkers, lifetime experiences of diseases, incidence, prevalence, therapeutic options, health-related behavior, and resiliency. However, awareness of sex and gender differences in medicine is still limited. Systematic implementation of sex and gender-sensitive research is not yet the norm, resulting in gaps in evidence especially in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in women. For decades research has predominantly included male persons and animals, leading to a lack of information about symptoms in female individuals or the classification of their symptoms as "atypical". Currently, the inclusion of female participants in clinical marketing access trials is mandatory. However, this does not automatically translate into sex-disaggregated analyses potentially limiting the discovery of sex-specific targeted therapeutic schemes. Consistent consideration of sex and gender in planning, conducting, analyzing, and dissemination of pharmacological research projects is an important prerequisite for closing the gender data gap. Targeted implementation strategies might help to include sex and gender aspects in different parts of the health system and thereby support the improvement of health care for all patients. Health economic aspects could be a further drive for the implementation of sex- and gender-sensitive medicine.The current chapter focuses on the role of sex and gender in biomedical research and, consequently, their potential role in pharmacology. We will explore the commonly used terminology in the field, the historical development of sex and gender-sensitive medicine (SGSM), the relevance of sex and gender to research and clinical practice and conclude with an outlook on future developments in the field.