The Evolution of 'Bikini Medicine' and the Call for Broader Healthcare

The term ‘bikini medicine’ was originally used to highlight the narrow focus of women’s health research, primarily concentrating on reproductive organs and breasts. However, the term has since broadened to represent a wider campaign for equitable inclusion of women across all aspects of healthcare.

Experts suggest that continued use of this term, described as patronizing, may hinder the overall push for improved women’s health.

They advocate for adopting sex- and gender-specific medicine that considers the whole person in the 21st century.

Coining the Term: Dr. Nanette Wenger's Critique

Dr. Nanette Wenger, an American cardiologist, coined ‘bikini medicine’ in the early 1980s. Her aim was to criticize the limited scope of women's health research at the time, which largely overlooked conditions like coronary heart disease (CHD) in women, despite its significant mortality impact.

Wenger's metaphor illustrated the disparities in healthcare for men and women and the male dominance in medical research and practice.

The term suggested a mistaken belief that 'women's health' should only refer to sexual and reproductive organs.

'Beyond Bikini Medicine': A Modern Movement

The campaign ‘Beyond Bikini Medicine’ has emerged as a movement advocating for equitable sex- and gender-responsive approaches in medical research, health policy, innovation, service provision, and education. This initiative seeks to move past the limitations implied by the original term.

Persistent Disparities and Economic Impact

It is now well-established that women exhibit different presentations, predispositions, and trajectories for hundreds of diseases beyond reproductive organs. Despite this, clinical guidelines, drugs, research, and development often remain predominantly male-centric. This results in underfunding for research, technology, and health services tailored to sex and gender.

Australian researchers, particularly from the George Institute for Global Health, have emphasized the need to address this gender gap.

World Economic Forum (WEF) reports indicate that closing the health gap—where women spend 25% more time in poor health than men—could boost the global economy by one trillion dollars annually by 2040.

While ‘bikini medicine’ served as a