Neurology: Alzheimer's Study Maps Alternate Route to Disease Cell Biology: Yeast Ramps Up Sugar Production to Survive Cold Clinical Research: Harvard Clinical Research Group Gains Reputation for Trial Design, Statistical Analysis Women's Health In Kass Lecture, Brundtland Points Way Toward Eliminating Global Health and Gender Disparities Regulator of Protein Degradation Emerges as Anticancer Target Flaws Revealed in Study Assailing Mammograms Inflammatory Pathway Uncovered with Tie to Early Atherosclerosis   New Full and Named Professors Thier Professorship Established for Work in Health Policy at BWH or MGH Hirsh Nominated for AAMC Humanism Award, Celebration Planned for Award Nominees Student Research Displayed at HST Forum HMS Again Takes Top Spot in U.S. News Rankings Honors and Advances News Briefs   Coalition Supports Haitian Immigrants   When It Comes to Drugs, Price Is Not the Real Problem   Front Page

WOMEN'S HEALTH In Kass Lecture, Brundtland Points Way Toward Eliminating Global Health and Gender Disparities As the youngest prime minister in Norway's history--and the first woman to hold the office--Gro Harlem Brundtland was concerned about including women's and children's health among other affairs of state. She consequently made reversing the falling rates of breastfeeding one of her key initiatives and likewise led changes ensuring equal pay for women, extended pregnancy leave, and abortion rights. "The role of breastfeeding is one that illustrates the key links between women's lives and the lives of their children, links between one generation and the next," Brundtland said at the 24th Fae Golden Kass lecture held at HMS on March 30. "It illustrates some of the dilemmas and choices in women's lives, the importance of knowledge, science, and the empowerment of women. It illustrates how societies need to be supportive so that women have a chance to make real choices." "Repeated studies have made it clear that educating women is an effective way of improving health and income and protecting the environment. " --Gro Harlem Brundtland When Brundtland became director-general of the World Health Organization in 1996 after 10 years as prime minister, she used the global forum as a platform to advance women's rights the world over. The Millennium Declaration, issued by the WHO in September 2000, set up eight development goals that Brundtland believes have strong ties to women. In her lecture, "Women's Lives and Health from a Global Perspective," she said that educating women is central to these goals. "Repeated studies have made it clear that educating women is an effective way of improving health and income and protecting the environment. Giving girls the ability to access knowledge, to question, to analyze, and to build their capacity for self-improvement will help their families and communities," said Brundtland, an alumna of HSPH. "The size of the effect that a girl's education has been shown to have on health and fertility outcomes is a powerful argument for investing in girls' access to education." Poverty is another obstacle in developing countries disproportionately affecting women. "Poverty has a woman's face," she said. "This is true in the poorest communities and families, in the poorest countries. But it is also true within rich countries where poverty is still prevalent, such as in this country." Wealthy nations should increase their assistance to developing countries and invest more in health care, Brundtland said. "The research agenda needs to change to include a much larger focus on the diseases of the poor." Immunization against infectious diseases like TB and malaria should be a top priority, she said and urged greater funding of efforts to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. "We need a combined approach to hope to overcome gender disparities, improve human rights, counter environmental degradation and threats to health as we try to promote the types of change that can improve the lives of women and turn around the terrible burden of poverty," Brundtland said. Beyond the necessary monetary support from developing countries to eliminate health and gender inequalities, she said, "we need a shift in awareness toward the idea of building global public goods that can help us reap the huge potential benefits of globalization while at the same time containing the risks and vulnerabilities that come with it. The roles and rights of women are centrally placed in this context." --Leah Gourley