Gender, health, and responsible research.

The previous exclusion of women from clinical studies and a heavy reliance on men in biomedical research has played a significant role in the emergency of gender disparities in our nation's scientific and medical knowledge base. These disparities in tum have limited the availability to women of many potentially effective health care strategies. Vigorous efforts to redress these differences are currently underway. An increased focus on women's unique physiology and biologic experiences and (in the middle-aged woman) emphasis on the potential role of menopause on subsequent health is critically needed to redress these disparities and maintain the vigor of women in their later years