I was happy to participate on the panel for an engaging event hosted by the Inselgruppe to educate about common health issues and current research. The themes of the discussion were reproductive medicine and health impacts of hormonal changes later in life, with a focus on menopause. Reproductive health affects all genders, and all women eventually experience menopause, with considerable consequences for personal wellbeing, social and economic productivity, relationships, and societal function (to the tune of 75 million disability-adjusted life years each year, according to McKinsey & Co, interview on women’s health March 2024). Current research is advancing our understanding of the impacts of hormonal changes on a wide spectrum of health issues and is shedding light on new opportunities for early intervention and therapy. These have broad-reaching implications for improving physical and mental health, productivity and employment, career advancement, societal resilience, and personal fulfilment, not only for half the world’s population who are inevitably directly affected, but also for their networks of contacts. The work we are doing now stands to have transformative impact for women and society both today and in the future.
Date: 5 November 2024
Event: Gesundheitsforum, Inselgruppe
Location: Bern, Switzerland