Women have long been neglected in medical research. That’s improving, but significant gaps remain. An analysis from researchers at Northwestern University finds that 61% of studies between 2017 and 2024 included both men and women subjects, but only 44% were analyzed based on results by gender. Researchers say “author gender” may influence practices, noting that sex-based analysis was more common in studies led by women. It’s been well-documented that failing to compare outcomes by sex overlooks critical biological differences. “Despite this knowledge,” the authors note, “biomedical research studies have historically favored male subjects, significantly limiting our understanding of sex differences and overlooking crucial insights into female biology.”
