U.S. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rick Scott convened what their offices described as the first congressional hearing devoted to menopause, focusing on gaps in medical research, provider training and patient care.
Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, is the ranking member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging. Scott, a Florida Republican, chairs the panel.
The senators also asked the Government Accountability Office to review how the federal government funds and coordinates menopause research and care.
Gillibrand said the hearing was intended to bring greater attention to a health issue affecting millions of women and to identify ways Congress could improve research, education and treatment.
Her office said less than 1% of federal women's health research funding goes to menopause and cited survey findings that 80% of obstetrics and gynecology residents felt unprepared to discuss it with patients.
The release also cited a Mayo Clinic study estimating that menopause costs the U.S. economy $26.6 billion annually, including $1.8 billion in lost work time.
The requested GAO report would examine the federal role in menopause care and identify remaining gaps. No deadline for the review was announced.
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