Research Australia welcomes the Federal Government’s response to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee report: Issues related to menopause and perimenopause.
Research Australia is pleased to note that our recommendations have been incorporated into the final recommendations. These include:
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Research to establish a comprehensive evidence base about the diverse symptoms and impacts of menopause and perimenopause on women in Australia, including understanding the unique experiences for First Nations women, women living with disability, culturally and linguistically diverse women and LGBTQI+ women and gender diverse populations.
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Improvements to the collection and use of data to assist with research into the experience of menopause and perimenopause, and surveillance of the outcomes of the use of MHT.
Research Australia’s CEO, also a Special Advisor on the Women’s Health Council, Nadia Levin, highlighted the importance of research and data needed to respond to the historical gaps in understanding and investment in menopause and perimenopause, and more broadly women’s health.
“Sustained progress relies on rigorous, high-quality research into contemporary women’s health, and how it impacts on women’s participation in community and the economy. We need commitment for continued investment into health and medical research to inform and implement sustainable evidence-based practices and policies – from the local to the national,” she said.
However, Ms Levin noted that the recommendations cannot be implemented in isolation and need a whole of systems approach. “To ensure the sustainable implementation of the recommendations, not only do they need to be incorporated into the National Women’s Health Plan, they must be incorporated into the development of the National Health and Medical Research Strategy and other national reforms”, Ms Levin said.
Research Australia also welcomes the Government’s announcement of $573 million investment to improve women’s health services, noting that parts of this announcement will be implemented upon the re-election of the Government. Research Australia acknowledges the Opposition’s commitment to match this funding.
“This bi-partisan commitment signals a critical commitment to evidence-based healthcare and addressing longstanding gender disparities in Australia’s health systems. Addressing gender bias in health research and healthcare requires systems transformation and will lead to better health, social and economic outcomes not only for women, but for all.”
Our original submission was referenced a number of times in the Inquiry’s report, tabled 18 September. A number of our concerns and recommendations were specifically highlighted throughout the report and in the recommendations. These include the need for better understanding of the diversity of symptoms which impact women’s lives differently; the lack of robust data; the diverse experiences of different groups within Australia (such as First Nations women or women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds), and research needed to identify and address the current gap in our understanding of HRT.
Research Australia continues to be committed to advocating for a broader women’s health research roadmap, leveraging existing expertise and the current research landscape. In 2024 we undertook a national survey across our membership to identify the current strengths, opportunities and systematic changes needed in the health and medical research landscape to enable gender equity in research as well as health outcomes. On Thursday 20 February, we are hosting a Roundtable bringing together a diverse group of key stakeholders in women’s health, including representatives from research, health systems, industry, and consumer groups. For further information about the project and Roundtable, please contact Sam.Mills@researchaustralia.org .
