Spain boosts investment in research into women's health

The Ministry of Science will triple its investment in R&D specifically dedicated to women's health to reach 18 million euros annually.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the initiative on Monday during the presentation of the a programme 'Somos. Contamos: Fin de la discriminación de las mujeres en la investigación de la salud' ('We Are. We Count: Ending Discrimination Against Women in Health Research').

"This will boost research, diagnosis and treatment in areas that affect the lives of thousands of women in our country, who have not received the necessary attention," Sánchez said.

The plan is divided into three main lines of action: a specific mission on women's health through the centre for technological development and innovation that will support companies and research centres on R&D projects; a new line of funding for the Carlos III health institute; and measures to improve the critical mass of research in these areas, with specific predoctoral contracts for projects on this topic.

Conditions like endometriosis reflect the discrimination women face in healthcare. As Sánchez explained, it's a disease that affects one in seven women and takes a decade to diagnose. "This cannot be allowed in Spain today," the prime minister said.

"If a disease affected one in seven men, causing chronic pain, difficulty working, and fertility problems, would we accept a decade-long delay in diagnosis? The answer is obvious: certainly not. So it's high time we said 'no' with the same clarity when we talk about diseases that affect millions of women," Sánchez said.

Other diseases where diagnosis and treatment suffer from a lack of a gender perspective include chronic pain, autoimmune and thyroid diseases, cardiovascular and mental health conditions, menopause and hormonal imbalances.

"There can be no equality while science continues to respond better to some lives than to others," Sánchez stated.

The prime minister also addressed the delay in diagnosing women. "It is a paradox that says a lot about our past, that challenges our present, but that also drives us to change the future, including through politics."

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