WHAT do endometriosis, premenstrual syndrome, perimenopause and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have in common? They are all hormonal conditions that affect millions, but are poorly understood and managed due to a chronic lack of research funding.
At first glance, the characteristic they share is that they are problems that affect the female body. But not all female-dominated health conditions are neglected: breast cancer gets more funding than prostate cancer in the UK and US, for instance.
Hormonal conditions are often overlooked because their symptoms are dismissed as minor – a bit of acne, cramping or hot flushes – whereas the …