26/10/2026
I do not give this rhetoric about over diagnosis any of my energy. I have met too many women who have been struggling for most of their life with being different and feeling ‘less than’. It’s wonderful to hear a male doctor supporting ND women in this way.
Let’s be honest, it’s a disgrace.
When I first read this statistic, I had to check I’d taken my meds and reread it about four times. I couldn’t believe it.
Medical misogyny has been brushed under the carpet for far too long.
And I find it hard to ignore the irony that, as more women come forward seeking ADHD and autism diagnoses, we’re investigating whether too many people are being diagnosed.
Of course diagnostic accuracy matters. But shouldn’t we be putting just as much energy into investigating how many women have been overlooked and misunderstood for decades?
As a doctor, and frankly as a man, I find it embarrassing. We need to do better.
And I want to be clear, this isn’t a criticism of the incredible researchers and neuroscientists working to change this. There are brilliant people doing important work to improve our understanding of women’s health, and we need to champion their research, fund it properly and question why women’s health hasn’t been given the attention it deserves.
*This statistic is from a 2023 Nature article called “Only 0.5% of neuroscience studies look at women’s health. Here’s how to change that.”
