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NOVEMBER 2007
The
World Endometriosis Research Foundation (WERF)
has secured funding for its first international
multi-centre study. The aim of the study is
to develop a symptom-based questionnaire to
predict the presence of endometriosis -
a study of this scale has never been undertaken
before!
Endometriosis
affects tens of millions of women across the
globe. It is a major cause of pelvic pain and
infertility in women. Yet, the disease is poorly
understood, most treatments have unpleasant
side effects, and there is no cure.
Lead investigator
and World Endometriosis Research Foundation
trustee, Mr Stephen Kennedy, Head of the Department
of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Oxford University,
says: “The World Endometriosis Research
Foundation recognises that one of the
most pressing issues in endometriosis is the
delay between symptom onset and a surgical diagnosis.
In some health care settings this extends to
11 years”.
“To
be able to treat endometriosis properly, we
need to recognise and understand the symptoms
of the disease better and earlier”, says
Mr Kennedy.
The aim of
this study is to develop and then validate a
symptom-based questionnaire, which reliably
and accurately predicts whether a woman has
endometriosis or not. “A tool, which can
help provide an early diagnosis resulting in
women receiving the appropriate treatment sooner,
may prevent unnecessary pain for millions of
women worldwide”, predicts Mr Kennedy.
“The
current delay in diagnosis and treatment contributes
to years of suffering and potential infertility
if the disease is left untreated”, says
Mr Kennedy. “Although there is no cure
for endometriosis at present, delaying treatment
because symptoms are not recognised or acknowledged
is simply not acceptable”.
This study
has been made possible by research funding from
TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc. The study will
be overseen by the World Endometriosis Research
Foundation, which has assembled a unique consortium
of researchers around the world to conduct this
study, some of whom form part of a World Health
Organisation (WHO) Network in Reproductive Health.
The study will be designed and coordinated by
the University of Oxford in collaboration with
TAP Pharmaceutical Products Inc.
Early results
are expected to be announced during the 2nd
quarter of 2009.
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