Catalysing change in health and medical research policy: an Australian case study of deliberative democracy to reform sex and gender policy recommendations.

Revising public health policy based on new data does not happen automatically. This is acutely relevant to the now undeniable evidence that many diseases develop differently between the sexes and may also be affected by gender. Current health and medical practices across the globe generally fail to cater for sex and gender effects in common diseases.

Policies on the collection, analysis, and reporting of sex and gender in Australian health and medical research: a mixed methods study.

Objective: To explore the policies of key organisations in Australian health and medical research on defining, collecting, analysing, and reporting data on sex and gender, and to identify barriers to and facilitators of developing and implementing such policies.

Study Design: Mixed methods study: online planning forum; survey of organisations in Australian health and medical research, and internet search for policies defining, collecting, analysing, and reporting data by sex and gender in health and medical research.

Setting, Participants: Australia, 19 May 2021 (planning forum) to 12 December 2022 (final internet search).