FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 10, 2016
Contact: Heena Patel
Phone: 202-223-8224
The Society for Women’s Health Research Talks Revolutionizing Healthcare & Research Through Data at Annual Gala Dinner
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 10, 2016) – The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR®), held its annual black-tie gala May 4, 2016, this time to discuss the growing trend of big data and its impact on health, science, and medicine. More than 400 guests gathered at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Washington D.C., to join the conversation.
The gala featured keynote speakers Alyson J. McGregor, MD, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Brown University, and David C. Page, MD, Director of Whitehead Institute, Professor of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Investigator, Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Page presented on his work mapping the Y-chromosome and on its evolution in mammals and expression during development and was followed by a presentation by Dr. McGregor on the need for sex-specific labeling revisions and an evidence-based approach to capturing data.
Following the keynote speakers’ remarks, Kavita Patel, MD, Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution moderated a panel of health, science, and medical industry leaders in a discussion of changing technologies and its impact on women’s health. The panel included Robert M. Califf, MD, Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration; Jennie Larkin, PhD, Senior Advisor for Extramural Programs and Strategic Planning at the National Institutes of Health; Anna McCollister-Slipp, Co-founder of Galileo Analytics; and Jane L. Snowdon, PhD, Director, Watson Health Partnerships, IBM.
John Seng, Founder & CEO of Spectrum and Chair of SWHR’s Board of Directors and SWHR President and CEO Phyllis Greenberger also offered remarks, noting the vital importance of data on improving the future of patient care.
“SWHR has advocated for more than 25 years for research in sex and gender differences and its impact on health and health outcomes,” said Greenberger. “However, utilizing sex differences data in clinical research is one aspect of data that holds huge promise for all patients – particularly women and minorities. We were delighted to gather such a broad group of esteemed professionals to discuss big data and what it means for the future of women’s health.”
SWHR expresses gratitude to all who attended and donated to the event, and to our generous Leadership Plus and Leadership-level sponsors: PhRMA, Allergan, Astellas, Hologic, Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, and PWR.
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ABOUT SWHR
The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR®), is a national non-profit based in Washington D.C. that is widely recognized as the thought-leader in promoting research on biological differences in disease and is dedicated to transforming women’s health through science, advocacy, and education. Founded in 1990 by a group of physicians, medical researchers and health advocates, SWHR aims to bring attention to the variety of diseases and conditions that disproportionately or predominately affect women.
For more information, visit www.SWHR.org. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/SWHR.