Scripted for Her: Pharmacists Advocating for Women’s Health Research

In episode 13 of the Scripted for Her podcast, host Natalie DiPietro Mager, PharmD, PhD, meets with Sarah Chew, MPH, programs manager with the Society for Women’s Health Research.

“I think it’s important to recognize that we are still trying to catch up from our historical underrepresentation of women in clinical trials,” said Chew. “We still see gaps in understanding about women’s health generally, their disease progression, screening and diagnostics, and treatment strategies, which are still lagging due to this historic underrepresentation. While we see more women involved in clinical trials, I would say that we’re [still] running into major issues.”

Pharmacists may be one of the most underutilized resources in the push to close longstanding gaps in women’s health research, and a new conversation is making the case for why that needs to change.

In this episode, Mager and Chew explore why sex and gender are distinct but equally critical lenses through which women’s health must be understood. From the historical underrepresentation of women in clinical trials to the gender bias that causes women’s pain to be dismissed or misdiagnosed, this conversation covers the systemic barriers that continue to shape women’s health experiences today.

With hundreds of millions of patient interactions happening in community pharmacies every week, the profession is uniquely positioned to educate, empower, and advocate for women, including encouraging them to explore clinical trial opportunities that have historically passed them by.

Explore some of the resources mentioned in today’s episode:

• Society for Women’s Health Research
• Exploring the Biological Contributions to Human Health: Does Sex Matter?
• National Women’s Health Week

Scripted for Her, a podcast from Drug Topics hosted by Natalie DiPietro Mager, PharmD, PhD, MPH, professor of pharmacy practice at Ohio Northern University, aims to help pharmacists provide comprehensive care and continuity of care within the women’s health space. All episodes of Scripted for Her are available in video format via DrugTopics.com on the third Wednesday of each month. Check out our most recent episode, Scripted for Her: Black Maternal Health.