HRT and My Black Menopause
HRT and My Black Menopause
HRT and #myblackmenopause
I was excited to be asked to participate in a clinical trial for new HRT medication. My GP had sent me details. I was rejected on medical grounds due to blood conditions which are common in Black people and are a safety concern when testing experimental drugs. The other concern is the result of marketed medicines that may not accurately treat a marginalised groups/ populations. These companies may also be leaving people with unmet medical needs behind. It casts doubt about their efficacy for others as we are not all the same physiologically.
What an interesting process is followed when trials take place! Do you know how new drugs are made available?
New drugs have to complete a series of clinical trials. The trial I was going to be involved in was stage 3 which is the last stage before licensing.
Clinical trial recruitment is often based on a study's local demographics or the national population.
I am sharing this information because once these medicines have been approved (licensed), then I can be prescribed them.
I am not a medical professional or somebody who understands the intricacies of medical research, but I do suspect that this is unethical and/ or unfair -#healthinequalities
I advocate that we must all be involved - not only Black people, yet those with power and wealth are building obstacles that we are not able to climb. Cultural transformation is needed.
This matters. It matters from a moral and ethical standpoint. This is why representation of people with diverse backgrounds on clinical trials is absolutely critical. How do we know it works if we are not included? We are being excluded.
What you don’t track you can not measure, so why exclude for duty of care in the beginning but neglect duty of care in the long term.
Am I surprised? No - why? Because the evidence of racial inequalities in the healthcare system continues. I also question whether this is structural racism in #perimenopause #menopause and, beyond. The inequalities in clinical research, treatment and beyond have a dark reputation around the world. For those unaware there is also a history of why Black people mistrust the medical profession.
#menopausehealthinequalities #menopausehealth #menopauseawareness
