Empowering Women, Strengthening Canada: Three Policy Priorities for Advancing Women’s Health in Canada
TORONTO, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- At Women’s Health Collective Canada (WHCC), we envision a future where every woman in Canada receives the high-quality care she deserves. Rooted in our mission to be Canada’s foremost authority on women’s health research and education, our work is dedicated to curating, translating, and advocating for evidence-based knowledge and information that empowers women and ensures they have access to the high-quality health care they deserve.
Women’s Health Collective Canada represents the largest combined non-government source of funding for women’s health research in Canada. We are committed to working with partners and policy makers to support policies that ensure women’s health research receives the attention and resources it needs so women can get the care and support they deserve.
Current Challenge:
Today, women’s health research accounts for 6.8% of total national research funding, despite women making up 50% of the population (Stranges, 2023). Historically excluded from clinical trials, women remain at greater risk for misdiagnosis, ineffective treatments, and adverse drug reactions – up to 75% of which occur in women (Rademaker, 2001). Heart disease, the leading cause of death for women, is both under-researched and underdiagnosed, while menopause-related health challenges push many women out of the workforce. The cost to the Canadian economy of unmanaged menopause symptoms alone is estimated to be $3.5 billion per year (Menopause Foundation of Canada, 2023).
Opportunity:
By prioritizing a comprehensive national strategy, targeted funding, and rigorous research accountability, we can create the conditions for transformational change that not only improves women’s health but also builds a more equitable and prosperous Canada.
These policy actions ensure equity, reduce disproportionate care, eliminate preventable illness, thus empowering women to fully live, work, and contribute to society and the economy.
Policy Recommendations:
WHCC calls on all federal parties to commit to concrete action that will drive meaningful change for women’s health. In doing so, Canada can become a global leader in women’s health. The following policy priorities outline key areas where federal and provincial leadership are essential.
1. A National Strategy for Women’s Health
Canada lacks a coordinated approach to addressing women’s health inequities. A National Women’s Health Strategy should set measurable goals for research, healthcare delivery, and policy reform, to ensure increased funding is strategic, focused and effective.
2. Increased Federal Funding for Women’s Health Research
Women’s health remains underfunded, leading to gaps in knowledge, treatment, and care. We urge the federal government to establish a dedicated funding stream and increase investment in research on conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women.
3. Enforcement of Sex and Gender-Based Research Standards in CIHR-Funded Studies
Compliance with sex- and gender-based analysis (SGBA+) in federally funded health research is inconsistent. Stronger enforcement and mandatory reporting on sex and gender differences will improve research quality and ensure findings translate into better care for women.
For more information or to support WHCC visit whcc.ca.
Contact:
Daniel St. Germaine, Director, Marketing, Communications & Brand | WHCC
Sources
Menopause Foundation of Canada. (2023). Menopause and Work. Retrieved from https://menopausefoundationcanada.ca/menopause-and-work-in-canada-report/
Rademaker, M. (2001). Do women have more adverse drug reactions? American Journal of Clinical Dermatology, 2(6), 349-51.
Stranges, T. N. (2023). Are we moving the dial? Canadian health research funding trends for women’s health, 2S/LGBTQ + health, sex, or gender considerations. Biology of Sex Differences, 14(40). Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1186/s13293-023-00524-9
