In a significant advancement for health research, major UK funders, including Wellcome, the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), and the British Heart Foundation (BHF), have launched pioneering sex and gender policies. This initiative mandates that research funding applications must demonstrate a comprehensive approach to considering sex and gender from the earliest stages of study design. The new policies aim to enhance scientific rigor and equity, ensuring that research reflects the diverse populations it aims to serve.
New Policies Set Standards for Research
The newly established policies, termed the Sex and Gender in Health Research Policy by Wellcome, the Sex and Gender in Research Policy by NIHR, and the Diversity in Research Design Policy by BHF, require researchers to incorporate sex and gender considerations throughout the entire research lifecycle. This includes elements such as research design, participant recruitment, data collection, analysis, and dissemination of results. While some studies may focus solely on single-sex or single-gender samples, researchers are expected to provide a robust justification for their chosen approach.
This initiative is part of a broader movement within the UK to enhance inclusivity and representation in health research. The recent policy changes align with similar updates from various medical research charities, including Breakthrough T1D, Cystic Fibrosis Trust, and Fight for Sight, all of which emphasize the importance of gender diversity in research.
The MESSAGE project, which spearheaded the development of this policy framework, aims to integrate sex and gender as fundamental elements of health research. The project’s objectives resonate with the vision of a future where health research effectively addresses urgent health challenges while remaining responsive to societal needs.
Addressing Historical Gaps in Research
Historically, biomedical, health, and care research has often under-represented non-male participants and has rarely disaggregated data by sex and gender during analysis. This oversight can undermine scientific accuracy and limit the generalizability of findings, adversely affecting health outcomes, particularly for female patients, transgender and non-binary individuals, and those with variations of sex characteristics.
In 2023-24, the MESSAGE project team undertook a collaborative effort to co-design the UK’s first comprehensive sex and gender policy framework for research funders. This framework articulates clear expectations for researchers and provides guidance on the definitions and application of “sex” and “gender” in health research contexts.
“I welcome the MESSAGE recommendations, which come from an unprecedented collaboration in UK medical research,” stated the Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet during the MESSAGE launch webinar. “It is crucial that we see these recommendations fully realized.”
In addition to the policy framework, the MESSAGE project has released a toolkit for funders detailing how to implement changes across the grant process. These adjustments aim to embed requirements for considering sex and gender dimensions more systematically.
The commitment from key funders to prioritize equity and quality in research represents a transformative shift in the landscape of biomedical, health, and care research in the UK. The MESSAGE team continues to work closely with funders, regulators, publishers, and research institutions to ensure that consideration of sex and gender becomes standard practice in research excellence.
The launch of these groundbreaking policies signifies that sex and gender are no longer peripheral considerations but are essential determinants of research quality and equity. The MESSAGE team invites the research community to engage with these new requirements, ensuring that future biomedical, health, and care research is designed inclusively for all populations.
