Clinical trials are vital for advancing medical knowledge and furthering the fight of human conditions and diseases. With continuing evidence and research in women’s health and more discoveries around women’s health, it is fact that women are valuable to clinical trials.

Today, there are far more women who are diagnosed with breast cancer. This is not because more women are suffering from the disease; it is because more research is being done to understand cancer. Breast cancer, although still, the cause has not yet been established, is an umbrella term and covers a wide range of cancers that begin in the breast. The importance of women participating in clinical trials for on-going medical treatment cannot be underestimated and many women are offered drug trials once they have been diagnosed. These trials are controlled and undertaken with strict monitoring by health care professionals. With the many risk factors that are known to contribute to women developing breast cancer, on-going trials in women have been shown to be beneficial in the fight against breast cancer.

More information is being discovered about the menopause period of a woman’s life and the reduction of the estrogen hormone in women. Clinical trials in the development of the different hormone replacement therapies available is necessary and therefore women can contribute to research in controlled clinical trials. Hormone replacement therapy has been proven to enhance a woman’s life during the menopause and continuing research is being undertaken in this area to develop therapies further.

Women are valuable to clinical trials

Heart disease in years gone by was thought to be a disease that affected more men than women. Figures show that women suffering from heart disease are on the increase due to modern lifestyle choices and clinical trials in heart medication specifically developed for women are vital to further develop research and ensure that prescribed medication is suitable for women.

Clinical trials are governed and regulated and must always be undertaken with medical guidance. A full health screening is undertaken before the commencement of any trial. The medical screening will consist of full blood count testing, urine samples, blood pressure monitoring, a detailed medical history is taken along with lifestyle and diet and any medication that is currently prescribed will be investigated to ensure that there will be no conflict. Clinical trials are vital for many reasons. To ascertain a drug’s side effects, how the drug interacts with other medication, drowsiness levels, the list is endless. Clinical trials are undertaken in groups as opposed to an individual.

The importance of women in clinical trials is paramount given the gender differences in men and women. Women are built differently to men, their bodies have different reactions to conditions and diseases. Internal organs are very different in women than in men, organs can be smaller in women and women are very valuable contributors to clinical trials.

Article written by Jas in association with Parexel, leading drug trial specialists based the UK. For more information on clinical trials and medical tests, visit www.drugtrial.co.uk

  

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