In a landmark report published at the end of June 2016, the Académie Nationale de Médecine emphasizes that men and women do not respond equally to diseases, requiring tailored treatments. In France, medicine has historically overlooked key sex differences, unlike other countries practicing "gendered medicine."
Genetic variations create profound biological distinctions starting at conception, including smaller organ sizes in women. Sex-based immune system differences further explain variations in disease onset age, progression, severity, and drug responses. For example, Alzheimer's disease and depression affect women more frequently, while autism and brain tumors are more prevalent in men.
The Académie notes France's lag in clinical practice and research, where women are underrepresented in trials. It urges revising medical principles to implement gendered medicine for more accurate diagnoses and personalized treatments—as certain drugs effective in women fail in men, and vice versa. These evidence-based recommendations promise improved outcomes for all patients.
