This May 2, the actress Halle Berry he joined to bipartisan senators at the U.S. Capitol to push for legislation that would allocate USD 275 million dollars for menopause research and education. This is a significant precedent in the fight for recognition and research on the women’s health.
“I’m in menopause, okay?Berry exclaimed during a press conference. “We must take away the shame of menopause. We have to talk about this very normal part of our lives. Our doctors are not even able to say the word to us, much less accompany us along the way.”
This movement seeks to finance clinical trials on menopause and hormone therapy used to treat its symptoms, such as hot flashes. The proposal, introduced by the Democrat Patty Murray and the republican Lisa Murkowskiwould allocate 125 million dollars for medical and clinical researchwhile the rest of the funds would focus on support for the detection, diagnosis and training of doctors in the treatment of menopause, as well as public awareness on this issue.
The presidential candidacy of Joe Biden has shown support for the initiative, reinforcing the government’s commitment to women’s health, especially during middle age. The Biden administration has stressed the importance of increasing research on menopause health as part of a broader effort to address issues related to this stage in a woman’s life.
“Menopause is not a dirty word, it is not something to be ashamed of, and it is not something that Congress or the federal government should ignore,” Murray said, in a statement highlighting the importance of the bill.
This initiative has the support of 17 senatorsincluding three Republicans, 13 Democrats and one independent, all of them women, reflecting strong bipartisan support and an intersectional understanding of the importance of women’s health.
The legislative push coincides with a time when public figures, like Berry, are beginning to speak openly about their personal experiences with menopause. The movie star shared her struggle with the initial misdiagnosis from her doctor, who mistook her perimenopause symptoms for another illness, underscoring the need for greater medical education and preparation in this field.
“My doctor had no knowledge and did not prepare me”said the actress, emphasizing the urgency of using her platform to promote change and support other women who are going through similar experiences.
The proposed legislation also seeks to address a historical disparity in research and understanding of conditions unique to women’s health. Research has shown that women have been underrepresented in clinical trials and that their specific health needs have often been trivialized or ignored by the medical and scientific community.
“If men went through menopause, menopause research would have been adequately funded decades ago,” Murkowski noted, highlighting the gender bias in medical research and the urgency of balancing the scales.
This legislative push comes at a crucial time, as division in Congress and a tight legislative calendar present significant challenges to passing new laws.
However, the broad base of support and bipartisan collaboration behind this bill offer promise of progress toward greater attention and investment in women’s health, particularly as it relates to menopause, a natural stage of the life that deserves adequate medical understanding and support.
