Medicine’s long history of ignoring women

For decades medical studies didn't include women. That's left a health system in which many aspects -- what symptoms of a disease are considered "typical," the appropriate dosage levels for drugs -- are based on men's needs. The author of a new book says the repercussions for women can be frustrating, even dangerous.

Kayana Szymczak and Sean Rayford for NPR A $4,000 grant led them to teach tough subjects in poorer schools. For minor errors on forms, they were told to pay it back, with interest Math teacher Maggie Webb said she mailed in her yearly certification forms on time, despite not receiving them from the company managing the program. The company, FedLoan, said it didn’t receive the paperwork, so she sent them again — but then was told it was too late. “I was working in a low-income school and I still am," Webb told NPR. "And I don't know why I'm being punished for that.” Thousands of others likely have been hit with the bills, for mistakes like a missing date and signature. You won’t have much luck appealing, one was told. Icon Sportswire/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Usually he plays with his buddies then has a couple of beers. Thursday night he shut out an NHL playoff team for 14 minutes After next weekend, the Winnipeg Jets will start chasing the Stanley Cup. But for most of a period this week they couldn’t score past a 36-year-old accountant. Scott Foster, who played goalie in college and more recently in rec leagues, learned just before the game started that he’d be the emergency backup. Then he had to go in. He saved seven shots, taken by players who’ve scored 581 NHL goals. PhotoAlto/Michele Constantini/Getty Images Doctors who won’t listen, drug doses that are too high, overlooked symptoms: Women are stuck in a health care blind spot, author says "The medical knowledge that we have is just skewed towards knowing more about men's bodies and the conditions that disproportionately affect them," says Maya Dusenbery. In part, that’s thanks to a research community that kept women out of studies for decades. One alarming result: Health care providers are seven times more likely to send home a young woman who's having a heart attack than older or male patients. NJPhotos/Getty Images/iStockphoto A cyberattack crippled Atlanta’s computer systems this past week, the latest in an escalating wave of hacks that hold data hostage The FBI says ransomware attacks have been on the rise, particularly against organizations that serve the public, with nearly 6,000 attacks reported in the past two years. The bureau urges victims not to pay up, though the hackers seem to make demands proportionate and payment easy, even providing "customer" support. For hospitals it can be hard to resist, with patients’ health on the line and potential recovery costs adding up to millions of dollars. Adam Rose/ABC Groundbreaking, blue-collar Roseanne is back on TV — complete with its Trump-loving lead The '90s sitcom — renewed for another season on Friday — slips comfortably back into its old routines and dynamics, including the well-worn but compelling relationships between its two pairs of sisters, and the show's affection for outsiders of all stripes. For Roseanne the TV character, that means liking President Trump and playfully needling the characters who revile him. But track Roseanne the real-world actress, and it leads to some darker, more uncomfortable places. You received this message because you're subscribed to our Best of NPR emails. |  Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002