First Time ‘Menopause’ Spoken inside the Senate at the U.S. Capital, Six Months After Bipartisan Bill Introduced

75 million women are in perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause—with 6,000 more women reaching menopause each day.

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, November 21, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member and former chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, joined national advocates to spotlight disparities in menopausal care and women’s mid-life health. The meeting opened with a compelling film clip on menopause, followed by remarks from Senator Murray and a discussion with Denise Pines and Tamsen Fadal—Executive Producers of “The M Factor: Shredding the Silence on Menopause”, a documentary reaching audiences in 25 countries. Pines also serves as President of the Osteopathic Medical Board of California.

“No woman should have to face menopause alone or figure out their health care by themselves—but we have a long way to go to change that reality. For too long, menopause has been viewed as a dirty word instead of a common health care issue, and the result is that too many women can’t get the information and health care they need for something that every one of us will go through,” said Senator Murray. “We have to do more when it comes to researching menopause, filling gaps in knowledge, and making sure health care providers have the tools and resources they need to help women going through menopause. That’s why we need conversations like this to break the stigma around menopause—and it’s why we need federal action like my bipartisan bill to strengthen our national response and nationwide understanding about menopause.”

According to Murray, this was the first discussion about menopause that took place in the Senate at the U.S. Capitol. A video of the discussion can be found HERE.

During the discussion, Senator Murray highlighted her bipartisan legislation, the Advancing Menopause Care and Mid-Life Women’s Health Act, which she introduced earlier this year. The bill would boost federal research on menopause and—for the first time—coordinate the federal government’s existing programs related to menopause and mid-life women’s health, and the work being done on the ground to fill the gaps in women’s mid-life health education, resources, and research.

Right now, in the U.S., 75 million women are in perimenopause, menopause, or post-menopause—with 6,000 more women reaching menopause each day. But despite the fact that half the population in the U.S. will eventually experience menopause, menopause research has long been underinvested in and overlooked. To date, there are few federally funded clinical trials on menopause and menopausal hormone therapy and very little menopause education for doctors—only 30 percent of U.S. residency programs offer a formal menopause curriculum according to a recent survey, and 80 percent of OB-GYN residents admit to being ill-prepared to discuss menopause.

“As one of my Republican colleagues said, that if men were experiencing this, it would already be funded [at NIH], but it’s not,” she said.
Kathryn Schubert, the CEO of the Society for Women’s Health Research, said the issue is one drawing consensus during a time of divisiveness on other women’s issues. “We’re seeing this as an issue where people can sort of coalesce around in the women’s health space,” she said.

“Half the world is dealing with menopause, the challenge has been a lack of information due to stigma, shame and ageism and not normalized language,” says journalist and menopause advocate, Tamsen Fadal. “We have work to do, and we can do it,” says Fadal.

Denise Pines, President of the Osteopathic Medical Board of California, emphasized the importance of menopause care in California, a state with an aging population. She highlighted two recently passed bills focusing on education for healthcare providers and insurance coverage for menopause treatments. “When there is a gap in menopause care during the symptomatic years, we see increased risks of cardiovascular disease, bone health issues, and cognitive decline. That’s why addressing menopause care is crucial in California,” Pines stated.

“Menopause is an experience that all women will face in life, yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and under-discussed topics in both healthcare and society, said moderator Dr. Yesmean Wahdan, MD is the Vice President for US Medical Affairs in the Bayer Women’s HealthCare, Hematology, and Established Brands Divisions. “The changes women experience during this time go beyond just physical symptoms—they can impact mental, emotional, and social well-being, shaping quality of life in profound ways.”

Speakers included Dr. Sharon Malone and Dr. Angie Lee, who shared valuable clinical insights and perspectives on menopause.

The focus on menopause has united members of the Senate who might not typically work together. Unlike abortion, lawmakers have been able to come together on the issue without controversy and the partisan divides that often plague their work.

Advocates say they hope the shared understanding among female lawmakers of what it’s like to go through menopause will continue movement on the issue.

This event was made possible by a grant from Bayer.
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Ginger Campbell
Snap Productions
+1 323-933-4155
ginger@snap-productions.com
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Senate Briefing on Menopause in the U.S. Capitol