The Fact
In 2001, the U.S. Government Accountability Office reviewed ten prescription drugs withdrawn from the U.S. market since January 1, 1997. Eight of the ten posed greater health risks for women than for men. For four, the difference could be explained partly by greater prescribing to women. For four others, women experienced more adverse events even though the drugs were widely prescribed to both sexes.
What This Means
This was not simply “women take more medicine.” Half of those eight drugs showed greater adverse events in women even though both women and men commonly used them.
Sex can affect drug safety. If safety data are not examined by sex, an important risk can disappear inside the average.
Sources
- U.S. Government Accountability Office. Drug Safety: Most Drugs Withdrawn in Recent Years Had Greater Health Risks for Women. GAO-01-286R, Jan. 19, 2001. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-01-286r