America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies are working on nearly 1,000 life-changing medicines for diseases affecting women, according to a new report released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). The medicines are awaiting approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration or are in human clinical trials.
In the U.S., diseases that disproportionately affect women include diabetes, which has reached epidemic proportions and affects 11 million women nationwide. Autoimmune diseases strike women three times more than men, and anxiety and depression strike women two times more than men. The number one killer of American women is heart disease.
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in American women. To help raise awareness about this disease, Medicines in Development Women 2009 is being released during Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
The report lists 969 new medicines in development. They include 112 new treatments for breast cancer, 86 new treatments for obstetric/gynecologic conditions, 76 for asthma, 114 for autoimmune diseases, 155 for diabetes, 131 for arthritis, and 80 for Alzheimer's disease.
One medicine in the report is a potential cutting-edge treatment that attacks the cause of Alzheimer's disease rather than merely treating its symptoms. Currently, treatment options for Alzheimer's disease are limited. This groundbreaking medicine holds the potential to slow the progression of the disease and could vastly improve quality of life for Alzheimer's patients. Women account for 70 percent of Alzheimer's deaths.
During the press briefing, Academy Award- and Tony-winning actress Marcia Gay Harden and American pop icon Deborah Gibson described the personal experiences that led them to advocate for women's health issues.
Harden was inspired to become an advocate while preparing for the role of a woman with breast cancer in the film Rails and Ties. "My character had Stage Four breast cancer and a mastectomy, so as part of researching my role we brought a group of breast cancer survivors to the set," explained Harden. "Meeting these women was transformative for me and helped me realize what a problem breast cancer is. I welcome the chance to raise awareness about it."
Gibson, who had a No. 1 hit song at 16 years of age, explained that it was the stressful experience of being a child celebrity that led to her battle with anxiety and depression. "You see a lot of professional children who grow up to have problems, because fame is not a natural thing we're wired to know as kids how to handle," said Gibson. "Once I was able to acknowledge my anxiety and depression, I was able to get help through therapy and medication."
"America's pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies continue making exciting progress in the search for new cures and treatments for diseases of special concern to women," said PhRMA Senior Vice President Ken Johnson in his remarks at the press briefing at the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory on Long Island, New York. "We live in an era of medical discovery in which we understand more and more about the unique biological and behavioral differences between men and women and their respective health care needs. This knowledge is inspiring a continuing medical revolution that is bringing new hope to women around the world in the form of promising new treatments and cures."