science events
SWHR routinely convenes meetings of diverse scientific experts, clinicians, patients, and health care stakeholders to effect change in women’s health.
SWHR’s science events often serve as the foundation for our multiyear programs, known as SWHR’s Interdisciplinary Science Networks, which seek to identify research gaps and address unmet needs in diseases and conditions that disproportionately or differently affect women.
Upcoming Science Events
Join us for discussions around the latest research in women’s health.
October 2022
Understanding the Tests that Could Save My Breasts
https://youtu.be/tBtqFW6djqw In the United States, there are more than 100 diagnostic tests and procedures available for detecting diseases and monitoring their progression. Diagnostic tools are also used to guide treatments and evaluate their effectiveness. Some tests are invasive, such as a biopsy or endoscopy; whereas others are noninvasive, such as x-rays and ultrasound imaging procedures. Innovations in diagnostics provide access to health information, helping women make informed decisions about their health care at every stage of their lives. Screening and…
Psoriatic Arthritis: More than Just Sore Joints
https://youtu.be/MsfbWPzQxgY More than 8 million individuals in the United States have psoriasis. This chronic inflammatory skin disease is characterized by patches of red or discolored and irritated skin that are often covered by flaky white or gray scales, depending on the skin type. An estimated 10-30% of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis (PsA) – a type of inflammatory arthritis linked to psoriasis. Approximately 40% of people with PsA report significant impacts on their everyday life, and despite…
November 2022
Narcolepsy & Women’s Health: A Wake-Up Call
https://youtu.be/3ZwSq-o60Xw Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder that is characterized by persistent and excessive daytime sleepiness and an inability to regulate sleep-wake cycles. In some cases, cataplexy – a sudden loss or activation of muscle tone in one or more parts of the body – can be triggered by strong emotions. Narcolepsy Type 1 (NT1) occurs with cataplexy, whereas Narcolepsy Type 2 (NT2) does not. Narcolepsy symptoms are often mistaken for mood disorders, behavioral issues, and other conditions, which result…
Moving Conversations About Alzheimer’s Disease into Policy and Practice: An SWHR Town Hall
https://youtu.be/z1eSzWzg54o Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a rapidly growing and costly public health crisis that has a disproportionate impact on women, and especially women of color. Improving AD outcomes—for both patients and caregivers—requires a multi-layered approach that involves communities, clinicians, nonprofit groups, organizations, and state and federal policymakers. Achieving this shift will require not only enacting federal policies that support access to care, make early detection easier, and prioritize research investments in cognitive health, but importantly, it also requires ensuring that…
Psoriatic Arthritis: A Woman’s Toolkit to Soar Above the Pain
https://youtu.be/nYsUo_LcAEQ More than 8 million individuals in the United States have psoriasis. This chronic inflammatory skin disease is characterized by patches of red or discolored and irritated skin that are often covered by flaky white or gray scales, depending on the skin type. An estimated 10-30% of people with psoriasis also develop psoriatic arthritis (PsA)–a type of inflammatory arthritis linked to psoriasis. Approximately 40% of people with PsA report significant impacts on their everyday life, and although PsA occurs equally…
December 2022
Closing the Loop for Lupus: A Wellness Toolkit for Women
https://youtu.be/tnYYcYDMuS8 Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by widespread inflammation that often results in damage to the joints, skin, brain, lungs, kidneys and blood vessels. An estimated 1.5 million Americans have some form of lupus, and 90% are women between the ages of 15 and 44. Lupus is more prevalent among women of color, who also develop symptoms at younger ages and have more severe symptoms and complications from the disease.Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the most common type…
January 2023
Pregnant and Lactating Populations in Research: How Leaving These Populations Out Leaves Them Behind
https://youtu.be/LaVyovDuxEk Pregnant and lactating populations are routinely left out of clinical trials, leaving these populations and their health care providers with a dearth of information about which vaccines or diagnostic devices may be safe and effective for both mother and baby. The lack of information about the safety and efficacy of the COVID-19 vaccine for pregnant and lactating populations—due in part to poorly justified concerns about the safety of medications and vaccines during pregnancy—led to a significant delay in getting…
February 2023
Coverage and Access Issues Affecting Women Living with Autoimmune Diseases
https://youtu.be/TXiZWWqfC7s The rate of autoimmune diseases and conditions in the United States is rising—and women are disproportionately affected. Generally, autoimmune diseases cannot be cured, so treatment focuses on managing symptoms and slowing the progression and impacts of the disease. However, utilization management (UM) tools, such as prior authorization and step therapy, are increasingly being used by payers and can cause delays in care, which can be devastating for patients, resulting in disease progression and higher costs over time. In this…
Taking it to Heart: Addressing Cardiovascular Disease in Women
https://youtu.be/MGtRswPLaWI Diagnostic tests and procedures offer opportunities to detect diseases, monitor disease progression, guide treatments, and evaluate treatment effectiveness. Some diagnostic tests are invasive, such as a biopsy or endoscopy; whereas others are noninvasive, such as x-rays and ultrasound imaging procedures. Innovations in diagnostics provide access to health information, helping women make informed decisions about their health care at every stage of their lives. Screening and diagnostic testing can lead to earlier detection of disease, improve health outcomes, and contribute…
PRGLAC Then and Now: Where We Are and Where We’re Going
https://youtu.be/LynEQnV6gjU The 21st Century Cures Act established the Task Force on Research Specific to Pregnant Women and Lactating Women (PRGLAC) to advise the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services regarding gaps in knowledge and research on safe and effective therapies for pregnant women and lactating women. The Task Force’s work culminated in a set of recommendations based on information gleaned during four open meetings and a public comment period. The central theme of those recommendations was…