Dr. Shelley Zieroth, a heart failure cardiologist and clinical researcher at St. Boniface Hospital was among several leaders in the field who spoke passionately – and bluntly – about the problem during a session at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia last weekend.

“We know that women are underrepresented in clinical trials, they are under-referred for care, they are under-prescribed, they’re under-tested, under-treated and this differential care matters,” Zieroth said.

As St. Boniface Hospital Research positions itself to develop a Women’s Heart Health Centre serving Manitoba and the prairies, Zieroth’s efforts to communicate the gap in research and women-centric treatments for cardiovascular disease are timely.

“More and more physicians, specialists, surgeons and researchers are becoming aware of the need to address women’s heart health in a more targeted and customized approach,” said Dr. Lorrie Kirshenbaum who is leading the charge to establish a Women’s Heart Health Centre here at the Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences at St. Boniface Hospital Research. “We are fortunate to have someone of Dr. Zieroth’s expertise on our team, helping raise awareness of this important issue,” he said.

Click below to read some of the media coverage related to this call to action:

Diversity in research: How to improve representation in clinical trials (chiefhealthcareexecutive.com)

The Lack of Diversity in Clinical Trials Hurts Research, and Costs Billions | AHA Scientific Sessions (managedhealthcareexecutive.com)