#MedicalBias

A global wave of personal stories and overlooked medical realities is highlighting persistent gaps in women’s health knowledge and care. Viral conversations show how much remains misunderstood—even among informed adults. In Thailand, discussions around research bias, overlooked symptoms, and unspoken health risks demand clearer guidance rooted in science.

Many Thai women, like their global peers, may not realize how female-specific diseases are under-researched or why doctors may misinterpret symptoms unique to women. The spotlight on misinformation and data gaps matters for safety and care quality across the country, helping explain the ongoing gender health gap in Thai health systems and universities.

A groundswell of personal accounts and overlooked medical realities is putting the spotlight on persistent gaps in women’s health knowledge and care, with recent viral revelations demonstrating just how much remains misunderstood—even among well-informed adults. Social media conversations, like those following a campaign by a non-hormonal birth control brand, have triggered profound “wait, what?” moments about topics such as research bias, overlooked symptoms, and unspoken health risks that urgently demand more public attention and scientific scrutiny (BuzzFeed).

New research highlights a troubling pattern known as medical gaslighting—when clinicians dismiss or misattribute patients’ pain. The conversation around this issue is growing, especially for women with chronic gynecological pain. Experts say gender bias, gaps in medical training, and underfunding of women’s health research contribute to the problem, a concern echoed in studies summarized by The Conversation.

In Thailand, social taboos around sexual and reproductive health can silence discussion and delay care. Conditions such as endometriosis and vulvodynia affect about one in ten women worldwide, yet many patients report skepticism from healthcare providers. Phrases like “just relax” or “it’s all in your head” are still heard by some patients seeking help.

A growing body of research is shining an uncomfortable spotlight on the phenomenon of medical gaslighting—where healthcare professionals downplay, misattribute, or dismiss their patients’ pain—bringing renewed attention to a pervasive problem especially faced by women suffering from chronic gynecological pain conditions. This latest wave of studies, as described by experts in a recently published analysis on The Conversation, suggests that medical gaslighting is not only distressingly common but also deeply rooted in systemic gender bias, knowledge gaps in medical training, and persistent underfunding of women’s health research (The Conversation).