Increase funding for research into Endometriosis and PCOS.

Endometriosis and PCOS are two gynaecological conditions which both affect 10% of women worldwide, but both are, in terms of research and funding, incredibly under prioritised. This petition is calling for more funding, to enable for new, extensive and thorough research into female health issues.

Many women seldom get the medical attention they require, or frequently have their symptoms miscalculated.

Due to personal experience, we are aware that the average time taken for a full diagnosis for endometriosis is 7 1/2 years in the UK.

A cure for these conditions has not yet been found. It is important to us to start a conversation, to hopefully achieve funding to eventually find a cure for these conditions, or find more legitimate ways of treating symptoms.

The Government is aware of and sympathises with the hardships faced by women who experience severe symptoms from conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. While treatment is available, NHS England highlight that symptoms for both conditions vary widely, including in terms of severity. It is therefore important to seek clinical advice if women notice symptoms about which they have concern.

The Government funds medical research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and UK Research Innovation (UKRI). In the last five financial years to 2019-20, the NIHR and UKRI have awarded £8.52m for research into endometriosis and £6.60m for research into polycystic ovary syndrome. This includes a wide range of projects from basic science through to applied health research into diagnosis, treatment and service delivery.

Examples of research includes: a project, hosted by the NIHR School for Primary Care Research, examining what happens in primary care when women consult with endometriosis-like symptoms in order to start addressing delays in diagnosis and treatment and lead to improvement in care for women; and a randomised controlled trial exploring the use of two different treatment options for women with polycystic ovary syndrome whose eggs do not release from their ovaries to determine the most effect effective drug, or combination of drugs, needed to ensure women are offered the best available care with minimum side effects and spared the need for more invasive and costly fertility treatments. Other Government-funded research includes studies to investigate new therapeutics, the genetic basis for polycystic ovary syndrome, clinical prediction models of whether surgery will be successful for endometriosis, pain management trials and research to improve reproductive outcomes for women with these conditions.