Halle Berry calls for $275 million research funding for menopause with bipartisan senators

Renowned actress Halle Berry is making waves from Hollywood to the nation’s capital, joining forces with a bipartisan group of senators to champion an important and somewhat overlooked cause: menopause. The proposed legislation sets aside $275 million for research and education around this crucial chapter in women’s lives, which heralds a significant hormonal shift in midlife.

The bill aims to increase federally funded research, with an emphasis on high-quality clinical trials of hormone therapy — an important form of treatment designed to banish hot flashes and other painful symptoms often experienced during menopause.

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Berry, 57, left her mark at the U.S. Capitol and addressed the crowd, lifting the veil on the stigma surrounding menopause. She expressed her dismay at the prevailing reluctance of even medical professionals to give the condition a proper name, and provoked laughter by stating her position:

“I’m menopausal, okay?” she said from the steps of the Capitol. “The shame needs to be taken out of menopause. We need to honestly discuss this natural phase of life that we inevitably go through. If our doctors themselves stumble trying to say the word, how can they effectively guide us through the journey?

The A-list actress hasn’t shied away from sharing her own firsthand experiences with perimenopause, the prelude to menopause, characterized by the gradual decline in a woman’s estrogen levels. She spoke openly about the debilitating symptoms she faced and, shockingly, the initial misdiagnosis that she had contracted herpes, despite both she and her partner testing negative for the sexually transmitted disease.

The proposed bill, introduced by Democratic Senator Patty Murray of Washington and Republican Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, allocates $125 million specifically for clinical trials, public health initiatives and medical research on menopause. The remainder is intended to improve diagnosis, further educate physicians on administering menopause treatments and increase public awareness of this issue.

Senator Murray rightly noted, “Menopause is not a shameful term, it is not a cause for shame, and it is undoubtedly not an issue that Congress or the federal government can afford to sideline.”

The senators received the support of seventeen senators – a diverse mix of three Republicans, thirteen Democrats, one independent, with the common characteristic that they are all women – and expressed the hope that support for the bill could allow for a more transparent dialogue catalyze about this health moment that all women experience. .

In line with these sentiments, other celebrities have discussed menopause more openly on talk shows and interviews, while some have begun promoting products related to the condition. Last year, President Joe Biden introduced an initiative aimed at refining research on women’s health across the federal government, including menopause.

However, the bill’s success is far from certain. Navigating political discord in Congress and facing a shrinking legislative calendar before the upcoming November elections are significant obstacles for advocates to overcome. Achieving consensus among the male majority on Capitol Hill will be a defining step in turning these plans for menopause research into tangible reality.

In a rallying cry for support, Senator Murkowsi made a pointed observation: “If men had been susceptible to menopause, we would have seen adequate funding for menopause research decades ago.”