The Yentl syndrome

Article Abstract:

Yentl is a fictional female character who had to disguise herself as a male to get an education. To be treated equally, women have had to take on male attributes because female attributes do not garner equal respect. Two studies in the July 25, 1991 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine report that women are not given the same treatment for coronary heart disease as men. They are less likely to undergo coronary angiography or bypass surgery even though their conditions are equivalent to those of men. Only when a woman has had a heart attack does she receive the same care as a male. It takes the supposedly male condition of a heart attack for a woman's illness to be taken as seriously as that of a man. It is time the medical community recognizes that coronary heart disease is a major health problem in both sexes. Research has focused almost solely on how the disease affects men. Rather than conduct studies with women, the research findings from men have been applied to women. However, women are physiologically different from men and diseases behave somewhat differently in them. There are also a number of diseases that affect women only. Research in these areas has been sorely lacking. Recently, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has begun to address health issues relating to women. They plan a number of research studies on diseases that affect women. It is hoped that this is the beginning of the end of women being treated as second class patients by the medical community. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Women, History, Women's health, Discrimination in medical care, Medical care discrimination, editorial

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The Dingell hearings on scientific misconduct - blunt instruments indeed

Article Abstract:

John Dingell discusses scientific fraud in the 1992 Shattuck Lecture, but he strays into inaccuracies. Dingell is the Michigan congressman who is the chairperson of the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations. He initially discusses the exoneration of Rameshwar K. Sharma. Sharma was accused of intentionally making inaccurate statements on several applications for grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Dingell's statements about Sharma's investigation refer to the first hearing that only investigated one of the grant applications. Dingell also criticizes the actions of Bernadine Healy, the former director of the NIH. He accuses Healy of trying to undermine the Office of Scientific Integrity (OSI). The OSI investigates allegations of misconduct made against NIH-funded scientists. Dingell's criticisms of Healy are unfair.

Cases, Column, Beliefs, opinions and attitudes, United States. National Institutes of Health, Fraud in science, Science fraud, Dingell, John D.

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BRCA genes - bookmaking, fortunetelling, and medical care

Article Abstract:

It may be premature to test women for BRCA gene mutations. These mutations have been linked to familial breast and ovarian cancer. However, several 1997 studies have questioned the need to test all women with a family history of breast cancer. In one study, only 7% of women with a family history had a BRCA1 mutation. BRCA2 mutations play an even smaller role in hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. There are over 200 different BRCA mutations and a negative test for one may give a woman a false sense of hope. A positive test may lead to mastectomy, which does not necessarily reduce the risk of cancer.

Editorial, Gene mutations, Gene mutation, Genetic aspects, Breast cancer

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