Every day, approximately 6,000 women In the United States, menopause occurs, but there is very little funding for research into this condition. That’s what Winona, a telehealth company focused on menopause, hopes to change.
The company offers personalized treatment plans for common menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbances and brain fog. Monday he spear the Winona Research Initiative, a program that aims to make menopause research more accessible to clinicians, medical students and more.
The initiative selects “Winona Scholars” and provides them with funding and support to pursue research focused on menopause and women’s health. Researchers receive a $3,000 stipend, financial support for conferences, mentoring and publication support, published research opportunities, and media visibility.
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. Applicants must be “currently enrolled in, affiliated with, or recently graduated from a U.S. undergraduate program, medical school, residency, fellowship, or graduate training and have five to ten hours per week available for a six- to eight-week rapid-cycle research project,” according to the announcement. Applicants will be contacted within two to four weeks of submitting their application, and fellows are expected to begin their projects within four to six weeks of acceptance.
The initiative’s launch comes after a National Academies report showed that only 8.8% of NIH grant spending from 2013 to 2023 was focused on women’s health research. The report also notes that life stages specific to women – such as menopause – are not a priority for the NIH.
“As a company, Winona’s mission has always been to eliminate the confusion surrounding menopause and provide women with the information and solutions they need, providing compassionate, evidence-based care that empowers, educates and supports women throughout their menopause journey,” Dr. Cathleen Brown, Winona’s medical director, said in an email. “We need more dedicated professionals armed with the latest medical discoveries to provide this care, which means anything we can do to encourage this type of research serves both our patients and the common good.” »
She added that by launching the Winona Research Initiative, the company hopes to ultimately stimulate more research and encourage meaningful publications on women’s health.
“Ideally, over time, we would like to direct future research on women’s health issues, particularly midlife and beyond, but all research on women’s health is important and should be prioritized now,” Brown said.
Other telehealth companies focused on menopause include Midi Health, Gennev and Evernow.
Photo: DrAfter123, Getty Images
