Disparities in Healthcare Funding
The disparity in healthcare funding is most notable for diseases that primarily affect women.
The government shutdown has highlighted healthcare inequities, with the Democrats pushing for change.
However, even if they succeed, the budget is likely to perpetuate existing disparities in funding for research on "women's diseases".
- Research funding is a significant issue, rather than insurance premiums.
- Federal funds are often allocated unevenly, with too little going to illnesses that predominantly affect women.
Until 1993, most medical research studies included only men.
In 1993, Congress passed the NIH Revitalization Act, requiring the National Institutes of Health to include both sexes in nearly all human research studies.
Author's summary: Disparities in healthcare funding persist.