GENDER MEDICINE- AN OPTION FOR PHYSICIANS AND PHARMACISTS

Looking at the research results of recent years it has become obvious that there must be a reorientation in health services regarding a gender specific care.

In order to improve safety of medication gender medicine demands for a differentiated diagnosis and therapy and a correspondingly effective health care for both, men and women. Not only the different pathogenesis of each sex, but also pharmacokinetics und –dynamics (i.e. side effects of drugs, interaction between medication, metabolism, teratogene activity of biologically active substances) are the reason for the recent rise in inclusion of women into clinical studies.
Besides that gender medicine must be even more emphasized in the training of physicians and pharmacists as well as in their daily practical work in order to put those new research results into good use.

(Nieber, Karen ” Gendermedizin – eine Option für Mediziner und Apotheker “; published in DZKF 9/10-2011; excerpt)