Bill Overview
Title: Menopause Research Act of 2022
Description: This bill directs the National Institutes of Health to conduct or support research and related activities concerning menopause and the health of mid-life women. This includes evaluating past and current research and developing a strategic plan to guide future research.
Sponsors: Rep. McKinley, David B. [R-WV-1]
Target Audience
Population: Women experiencing menopause
Estimated Size: 30000000
- Menopause primarily affects women in the mid-life age range, which is generally defined as women aged 45-55.
- The global population of women in this age group is substantial, though exact numbers can vary.
- Menopause and its consequences have broad health implications, leading to a need for monitoring and potential treatment options.
- Research on menopause can also impact those women who experience early menopause, which can occur before age 45.
Reasoning
- The target population consists predominantly of women aged 45-55, who are experiencing menopause. This is a significant demographic with approximately 30,000,000 women in the U.S. who might directly engage with the outcome of this policy.
- The policy's budget allows for extensive research, though direct personal impact on wellbeing may vary based on individual circumstances and access to healthcare.
- Research into menopause can benefit those with early onset and those experiencing more severe symptoms by providing advanced treatments and approaches to managing symptoms.
- To approximate variations in impact and to illustrate a realistic simulation, demographic factors such as socio-economic status, healthcare access, occupation, and geographic location need consideration.
- The focus on a broad range of interviews aims to capture how different individual conditions and societal roles might change the perceived impact of this policy.
- Some individuals outside the immediate age range or with indirect connections to the issues (like researchers, healthcare providers) might also experience effects, but this would typically be reflected as a lower direct impact.
Simulated Interviews
teacher (Portland, OR)
Age: 52 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I think more research into menopause could really help people like me who struggle daily with symptoms.
- I hope this policy leads to more effective treatment options.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
software engineer (New York, NY)
Age: 47 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 5/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Seeing research focused on early menopause is promising, as it seems underrecognized.
- I hope this leads to new understandings of genetic factors.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 5 |
nurse (Austin, TX)
Age: 50 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- More research could greatly improve treatment options in my workplace, benefiting many women.
- Understanding side effects better would make treatment more patient-tailored.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
retired (Miami, FL)
Age: 54 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 7/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It would be great if menopause research could find safer alternatives to hormone therapy.
- I hope to see less invasive solutions that actually work.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 5 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
chef (Chicago, IL)
Age: 45 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 15.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- If there was more research on managing weight during menopause, it would help women like me.
- I really hope this results in tailored exercise or diet plans.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
business consultant (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I'm interested to see if this research could better understand long-term effects post-menopause.
- This could lead to better preventive measures for issues like osteoporosis.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
biomedical researcher (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 39 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 3/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This policy could promote more collaborative research and new treatment ideas.
- I believe expanding research funding will significantly advance the field.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 8 |
personal trainer (Denver, CO)
Age: 53 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 12.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Increased research can improve lifestyle advice options that I provide clients.
- It can lead to more evidence-based recommendations in my work.
- This will strengthen the credibility of what I do.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
spouse of menopausal woman (Seattle, WA)
Age: 62 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 0.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Research might help people like me better support partners going through menopause.
- Knowledge about menopause can really improve my partnership.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 6 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 6 | 6 |
high school principal (Boston, MA)
Age: 48 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- This seems like a comprehensive step in the right direction for women's health.
- I hope it helps address common workplace challenges faced during menopause.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $80000000 (Low: $60000000, High: $100000000)
Year 2: $82000000 (Low: $61000000, High: $102000000)
Year 3: $84000000 (Low: $62000000, High: $104000000)
Year 5: $88000000 (Low: $64000000, High: $108000000)
Year 10: $96000000 (Low: $68000000, High: $116000000)
Year 100: $160000000 (Low: $100000000, High: $200000000)
Key Considerations
- Research funding often does not produce immediate tangible savings or GDP impacts but aims at long-term advancements and breakthroughs.
- The focus on a broad age group suggests a need for diverse health studies, potentially increasing costs.
- NIH budget allocations and potential re-prioritization could affect implementation speed and scope.