Frontiers in Public Health (Feb 2025)
Catalysing change in health and medical research policy: an Australian case study of deliberative democracy to reform sex and gender policy recommendations
- Sue Haupt,
- Cheryl Carcel,
- Lily Halliday,
- Saraid Billiards,
- Lyn Carson,
- Kyle Redman,
- Scott Lappan-Newton,
- Karin R. Aubrey,
- Xander Bickendorf,
- Jane E. Bourke,
- Michael Buchert,
- Jessica Da Gama Duarte,
- Ayan Dasvarma,
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman,
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman,
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman,
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman,
- Kerryn Drysdale,
- Stephen C. C. Dymock,
- Laura N. Eadie,
- Laura N. Eadie,
- Melanie Eckersley-Maslin,
- Melanie Eckersley-Maslin,
- Melanie Eckersley-Maslin,
- Moritz Falk Eissmann,
- James Fazio,
- Bridget G. Haire,
- Melinda Holder,
- Nicole Kleppe,
- Ken Knight,
- Jonathan Mauclair,
- Celine Northcott,
- Brian G. G. O. Oliver,
- Tracy A. O'Mara,
- Ken Pang,
- Steven Philpot,
- Tertia D. Purves-Tyson,
- Jacob Stewart-Olsen,
- Lauren Ursich,
- Natalia Vukelic,
- Marina H. Yakou,
- Bronwyn Graham,
- Bronwyn Graham,
- Severine Lamon,
- Rachel Huxley,
- Kelly Thompson,
- Kelly Thompson,
- Keziah Bennett-Brook,
- Christine Jenkins,
- Christine Jenkins,
- Zoe Wainer,
- Zoe Wainer,
- Mark Woodward,
- Mark Woodward,
- Louise Chappell,
- Robyn Norton,
- Robyn Norton
Affiliations
- Sue Haupt
- The George Institute for Global Health, Women’s Health Program, Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Cheryl Carcel
- The George Institute for Global Health, Brain Health Program, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Lily Halliday
- Australian Human Rights Institute, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Saraid Billiards
- Association of Australian Medical Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Lyn Carson
- The newDemocracy Foundation, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Kyle Redman
- The newDemocracy Foundation, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Scott Lappan-Newton
- Gauge Consulting, Otford, NSW, Australia
- Karin R. Aubrey
- Pain Management Research Laboratories, Kolling Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
- Xander Bickendorf
- Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Jane E. Bourke
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Michael Buchert
- 0Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
- Jessica Da Gama Duarte
- 0Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
- Ayan Dasvarma
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman
- 1Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Perth Children’s Hospital, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman
- 2Perioperative Medicine Team, The Kids Research Institute Australia, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman
- 3Medical School, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Thomas F. E. Drake-Brockman
- 4Institute for Paediatric Perioperative Excellence, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- Kerryn Drysdale
- 5Centre for Social Research in Health, UNSW, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- Stephen C. C. Dymock
- Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Laura N. Eadie
- 6Precision Cancer Medicine Theme, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Laura N. Eadie
- 7Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Melanie Eckersley-Maslin
- 8Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melanie Eckersley-Maslin
- 9Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Melanie Eckersley-Maslin
- 0Department of Anatomy and Physiology, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Moritz Falk Eissmann
- 0Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
- James Fazio
- Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Bridget G. Haire
- 1Kirby Institute, UNSW, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- Melinda Holder
- 2Westmead Institute for Medical Research, Westmead, WA, Australia
- Nicole Kleppe
- 3Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Ken Knight
- 3Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Jonathan Mauclair
- 4Monash University, Clayton Campus, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Celine Northcott
- 5South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- Brian G. G. O. Oliver
- 6The Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Macquarie University, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Tracy A. O'Mara
- 7QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Herston, QLD, Australia
- Ken Pang
- 3Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Steven Philpot
- 1Kirby Institute, UNSW, Kensington, NSW, Australia
- Tertia D. Purves-Tyson
- 8Neuroscience Research Australia, Sydney, Australia; Discipline of Psychiatry and Mental Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Jacob Stewart-Olsen
- Telethon Kids Institute, Nedlands, WA, Australia
- Lauren Ursich
- 9The Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Natalia Vukelic
- 0Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
- Marina H. Yakou
- 0Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University School of Cancer Medicine, Heidelberg, VIC, Australia
- Bronwyn Graham
- The George Institute for Global Health, Women’s Health Program, Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Bronwyn Graham
- 0School of Psychology, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Severine Lamon
- 1Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
- Rachel Huxley
- 1Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
- Kelly Thompson
- The George Institute for Global Health, Women’s Health Program, Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Kelly Thompson
- 2Nepean and Blue Mountains Local Health District, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Keziah Bennett-Brook
- 3The George Institute for Global Health, Guunu-maana (Heal) Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Christine Jenkins
- 4The George Institute for Global Health, Respiratory Program, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Christine Jenkins
- 5Faculty of Medicine, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Zoe Wainer
- 6Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Zoe Wainer
- 7Public Health Division, The Victorian Department of Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
- Mark Woodward
- 8The George Institute for Global Health, Senior Professorial Unit, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Mark Woodward
- 9The George Institute for Global Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Louise Chappell
- The George Institute for Global Health, Brain Health Program, UNSW, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Robyn Norton
- The George Institute for Global Health, Women’s Health Program, Centre for Sex and Gender Equity in Health and Medicine, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Robyn Norton
- 9The George Institute for Global Health, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2024.1522213
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 12
Abstract
Revising public health policy based on new data does not happen automatically. This is acutely relevant to the now undeniable evidence that many diseases develop differently between the sexes and may also be affected by gender. Current health and medical practices across the globe generally fail to cater for sex and gender effects in common diseases. Inadequate policy frameworks to guide the comprehensive inclusion of sex and gender in research jeopardises scientific rigour and ultimately the practices they underpin. To ensure that Australian health and medical research is fit-for-purpose, we realised that potent initiatives would be necessary to expedite strategic reframing of thought and behaviour. Here we report on our innovative engagement of end-users for democratic self-determined policy reform to guide health and medical research, based on robust data. We draw upon our specific study to outline seven key steps that can be adopted to accelerate effective change, across a breadth of evidence-based initiatives to reform health policies.
Keywords
- public health and medical research policy
- health and medical research equity
- innovative methodology
- evidence-based change
- democratic policy reform
- sex-gender
