Health · Healthcare & Policy · 15 hrs ago
Women face delays and higher risks of misdiagnosis in medical care
Women and men do not always receive equal care, partly because medical research and treatment have often used men as the reference.
Heart attacks can show different symptoms in women, including fatigue, nausea, anxiety, or pain in the jaw or back.
These symptoms may not be recognized as a heart attack, delaying care for women by 30 minutes to an hour and raising their risk of a wrong diagnosis by 40 percent.
Medicines have also often been tested mainly on men, although differences in biology can affect how women respond to them.
The story says women experience twice as many adverse drug effects.
Discrimination in health care can also affect people perceived as foreign, transgender people, people with low incomes or disabilities, and people with chronic illnesses.
A 2025 report by France’s Defender of Rights highlighted these inequalities.
In May 2026, France’s national health insurance fund and seven professional health bodies pledged to prevent and fight discrimination.
Women can face delays of 30 minutes to one hour in treatment for heart attacks because their symptoms may differ from the commonly recognised signs.
The article says women have a 40% higher risk of diagnostic errors.
It says medicines have historically been tested mostly on men, despite biological differences that can affect how women respond.
In the United States, eight of 10 treatments withdrawn from sale between 1997 and 2001 posed higher health risks for women.
A 2025 report by France’s Defender of Rights found that inequalities in care also affect other groups facing discrimination.
- Who
- Women receiving medical care.
- What
- Women can face delays in treatment and higher risks of diagnostic errors. The article also describes risks linked to medicines tested mostly on men.
- When
- The article was published on 11 October 2026. It cites treatment withdrawals in the United States between 1997 and 2001 and a report from 2025.
- Where
- The article discusses medical care generally and cites the United States for data on withdrawn treatments.
- Why
- Medical research and treatment have historically used men as the reference, while women’s symptoms and biological responses can differ.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
No direct quotes in the coverage so far.
In the United States, eight of 10 treatments withdrawn from sale presented higher health risks for women.
A report by France’s Defender of Rights concluded that inequalities in care are intersectional.
France’s national health insurance fund and seven national orders of regulated health professions committed to preventing and fighting discrimination.
franceinfo published an article on differences in medical care for women and men.
- Heart attack treatment delay
- 30 minutes to one hour longer for women
- Diagnostic errors
- 40% higher risk for women
- US treatment withdrawals
- 8 of 10 treatments, 1997–2001
- Adverse effects
- Women experience twice as many, according to the article
- Anti-discrimination commitment
- France’s national health insurance fund and seven professional orders, May 2026
Sources
Related news
Demand grows for death doulas who support people near the end of life
Elder care managers help US families navigate care and paperwork
Brain stimulation centre opens at medical institute in Guntur
KPN outage disrupts phone access to several Dutch university hospitals
Humana gains in 2027 Medicare Advantage ratings as Alignment falls
India approves 30% trade-margin cap on non-scheduled cancer drugs
Hospitals sue to block revised federal 340B drug rebate plan
India proposes approval requirement for prescription drug ads by sellers
Medicine shortages reported at camps near Vijayawada’s Kanaka Durga temple
Moving a loved one into a care home can be hard on family caregivers
Luigi Carbone coordinates medical care for Pope Leo XIV
