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Vol. 155 No. 8 (2025)

Sex- and gender-specific medicine: why it's a man's business too

Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2025;155:4098
Published
04.08.2025

Summary

Sex- and gender-specific medicine must expand to include the health disparities affecting men, who face distinct and under-researched health disparities just as women do in some medical fields. Despite its broad relevance, the field is still primarily led by women, which may inadvertently limit male engagement and distort its scope. Men should join women in actively shaping healthcare into a more inclusive and intersectional system that benefits all.

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