FemTech with Dr. Britt: History of the Revitalization Act - Ep. 215

FemTech Focus

June 2023 marks 30 years since the Revitalization Act was passed. So in this episode, we deep-dive into the history of women in clinical trials, finding out more about the scandal that led to our removal in the first place and the long-term consequences that occurred as a result. We'll also be looking at what the Revitalization Act was, the changes it made, and what we have today as a result.

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Guest bio

Dr. Brittany Barreto is a trailblazer in the field of FemTech, using her scientific background, entrepreneurial spirit, and investment expertise to raise awareness of women’s health issues and showcase the importance of this vital industry.

Dr. Barreto is a proud advocate of FemTech founders and the FemTech Focus podcast is a space for honest and thought-provoking conversations about the past, present, and future of female health. Informative, shocking, and candid, this podcast exposes the truth about the status of female health globally and brings to light the opportunities and current innovations striving to achieve health equality.

FemTech Focus Podcast bio

The FemTech Focus Podcast is brought to you by FemHealth Insights, the leader in Women’s Health market research and consulting. In this show, Dr. Brittany Barreto hosts meaningfully provocative conversations that bring FemTech experts - including doctors, scientists, inventors, and founders - on air to talk about the innovative technology, services, and products (collectively known as FemTech) that are improving women's health and wellness. Though many leaders in FemTech are women, this podcast is not specifically about female founders, nor is it geared toward a specifically female audience. The podcast gives our host, Dr. Brittany Barreto, and guests an engaging, friendly environment to learn about the past, present, and future of women’s health and wellness.

FemHealth Insights bio

Led by a team of analysts and advisors who specialize in female health, FemHealth Insights is a female health-specific market research and analysis firm, offering businesses in diverse industries unparalleled access to the comprehensive data and insights needed to illuminate areas of untapped potential in the nuanced women’s health market.

Time Stamps

[03:13] Thalidomide

[04:54] Morning sickness

[09:30] Thalidomide production and distribution

[10:52] Thalidomide tragedy

[15:05] The aftermath

[17:15] Consequences

[18:07] History of clinical trials in the US

[22:25] Women in clinical trials from 1977-1993

[28:30] The Revitalization Act

Sources

We have done our absolute best to verify all of the information contained within this episode. However, due to the nature of women’s health - in that it is so under researched - there are some conflicting sources of information. A full list of sources is below.

The Embryo Project Encyclopedia

Science Museum

Mayo Clinic

Tommy’s

Morning Sickness: A mechanism for protecting mother and embryo

The Thalidomide Trust

Birth Defect Research for Children

The Importance of Good Clinical Practice guidelines and its role in clinical trials

History of Women’s Participation in Clinical Research

The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same: A Study to Evaluate the Compliance With Inclusion and Assessment of Women and Minorities in Randomized Controlled Trials

Women’s involvement in clinical trials: historical perspective and future implications

Additional Resources

Call The Midwife - Season 5

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Episode Contributors

Dr. Brittany Barreto

LinkedIn: @Brittany Barreto, Ph.D.

Twitter: @DrBrittB

Instagram: @drbrittanybarreto

Apoorva Sudini

Linkedin: @Apoorva Sudini

Instagram: @apoorvasudini

Megan Fuller

LinkedIn: @Megan Fuller

FemTech Focus Podcast

Website: https://femtechfocus.org/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/femtechfocus

Twitter: @FemTech_Focus

Instagram: @femtechfocus

FemHealth Insights

Website: https://www.femhealthinsights.com/

LinkedIn: @FemHealth Insights