American senators, accompanied by Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry, presented a bill on Thursday to release tens of millions of dollars for research into menopause.
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“Menopause needs to stop being a source of shame, we need to be able to talk about this completely normal part of our lives,” said Halle Berry, known for her roles as “Catwoman” and James Bond girlduring a press conference in Washington.
To support this statement, the 57-year-old actress reported a recent exchange with her doctor, during which he did not dare to say the word menopause, for fear of offending her.
“Menopause is not a bad word,” added Senator Patty Murray. “And that’s not something that Congress or the federal government should overlook.”
The bill, presented by the influential Democratic elected official and a handful of senators from both sides, aims to strengthen federal research, training of doctors and public awareness on this issue.
The American president signed an executive order in mid-March ordering his administration to make long-neglected women’s health research a priority.
In particular, he orders federal agencies to “prioritize” investments in research on women’s health, which for example have not been included in clinical trials for a long time.
