We know how to sell to women but do we know
how to study them? Women are half the world’s population yet the female body is
full of unanswered questions. The human body of a man and a woman is different
and so they metabolise medicines differently. Since science is a male dominated
field, historically and consistently, data has been based on men and
generalised for women. Most medications, clinical trials and surgery protocols
are based on male anatomy. Hormones, body composition and other biological factors
can influence how medicines are absorbed, distributed, metabolised and
eliminated. According to the National Library of Medicines, Female patients
have a 1.5- to 1.7- fold greater risk of developing an ADR (Adverse Drug
Reaction), including adverse skin reactions, compared with male patients. In
November 2022, a Delhi based environmental NGO Toxics Link tested 10 brands of
sanitary pads, both organic and inorganic, that are sold in India, and detected
phthalates and volatile organic compounds (VOCS) in all the samples tested. The
organisation raised concerns about potential health effects associated with
some of these chemicals. This raises the question, how much scrutiny goes into
products that millions of women place directly against their bodies for hours
at a time? According to the World Economic Forum’s 2026 Women’s health
Investment Outlook, women’s health receives only 6% of private healthcare
investment globally despite women making up almost half of the population.
Moreover, out of this investment, only less than 2% funding is dedicated to
conditions like PCOS, menopause, endometriosis etc. The blue liquid that is poured on a sanitary
pad in an advertisement may last only a few seconds, but the questions and the
concerns surrounding women’s health goes much deeper. As research continues to
uncover differences in male and female bodies, it is time that female bodies
are studied with the same depth and attention as men’s.
Aakanksha Kankan
First year student.
Christ University, Bangalore.
