Are women being overmedicated?

WHAT’S ON DECK

• Tell Me More: Study Finds That Women Are Being Overmedicated—and Suffering More Side Effects—Because Drug Dosage Trials Are Based on Men

• Troublemaker Spotlight: Neha Kumar, Co-founder & COO, Full Glass Wine Co.

• Dear FQ: How Can I Increase Team Buy-In on My Ideas?

• Poll the Pack: The Evolution of Leadership Styles, From Command to Collaboration

TELL ME MORE

The gender gap in medical research puts women at risk.  

Imagine being prescribed a medication that's been on the market for years. Your doctor assures you it's safe and effective. Two weeks later, you're in the emergency room with side effects from the medication.

This isn't a hypothetical scenario—it's a reality for millions of women every year. More than 1.5 million people visit the emergency room each year for adverse drug events (ADEs), and half a million of those result in hospitalization. 

Why should women take note? Women are 50-75% more likely than men to suffer from ADEs—yet most medications are still tested primarily on male bodies.

How did we get here? When the FDA banned women of "childbearing potential" from participating in early clinical drug trials in 1977, a ban that wasn't lifted until 1993, they set in motion a pattern that continues to impact women's health today. The main culprit? Drug dosage calculations. 

According to one study of 86 drugs, there was clear evidence that men and women’s bodies broke down the drugs differently—for almost all of them, women metabolized the drugs more slowly, leading to higher levels of exposure to the drug. In 96% of cases, this resulted in significantly higher rates of adverse side effects in women.

“Millions and millions of dollars go into these trials, so to relatively neglect women in the trial population is a waste. A greater allocation of resources for female-focused trials could be critical to improving care for women,” says Dr. Jecca Steinberg, a medical resident in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

These trials are evidence of a much wider problem:

• 8 out of 10 drugs recalled from the U.S. market between 1997 and 2001 posed greater health risks for women than men.

• Women account for only 40% of clinical trial participants for three of the diseases that most affect women—cancer, cardiovascular disease, and psychiatric disorders—despite representing 51% of the U.S. population. 

While we’ve made progress from the 1977 ban, there’s still ground to cover until medical research is conducted with women as a priority. The good news is that when women lead research, they bring more women into the research pool. Only 18% of cardiovascular clinical trials are led by women, but the female-led studies enroll significantly more female participants, proving that more women in leadership directly impacts research inclusivity.

“Companies and contract research organizations (CROs) need to do a better job of making sure their workforce is representative of the patient populations they serve. There are also fewer women working as clinical trial investigators. It is critical to have more women participating as investigators in trials, as they will be more aware of factors that are unique to female patients and can, ideally, help assure increased enrollment of women into clinical trials,” says Mary Stutts, MHA, CEO of Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association (HBA).

And according to the next generation of researchers, we’re on the right path. In the 1960s, less than 1% of kids depicted scientists as female. Now, over 50% of girls draw scientists who look just like them. 

Bottom line: As more women enter STEM fields and leadership positions in research, we'll see more inclusive studies, better-designed medications, and ultimately, better health outcomes for everyone.

It’s time for healthcare to treat gender as more than an afterthought. Precise and intentional care starts with inclusive research.

PRESENTED BY:

Ann Berry brings clarity to today's ever changing financial markets. As the face of Brew Markets and host of After Earnings, she speaks with the business leaders shaping what’s next, translating their insights into real value for everyday investors. 

It's sharp, informed, and accessible financial conversation. Exactly what today’s market needs. 

→ Watch Ann in action here 

→ Explore how your brand can be a part of it here

TROUBLEMAKER SPOTLIGHT

Neha Kumar, Co-Founder and COO of Full Glass Wine Co.

Neha Kumar built a $200 million company in just 17 months. Need we say more? By strategically acquiring and revitalizing beloved direct-to-consumer wine brands, Neha has an affinity for companies that “need some love,” as she says. After starting her career in finance, Neha served as COO/CFO of Create & Cultivate, steering the brand to a successful private-equity exit, before co-founding Full Glass Wine Co. in 2023. The speed and scale at which she’s been able to grow Full Glass Wine Co. earned her a finalist spot for Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Greater LA Awards.

FQ: What’s the worst career advice you’ve gotten?

NK: The worst advice I've gotten is to just keep my head down and keep working, and somebody will notice. 

When I was working in banking, I would plan to leave the office at the same time as our head of credit because it was a long elevator ride, and she and I would end up talking. One thing would lead to another. There was a higher comfort level she had with me than when we were in the office. I would always keep my head up, and because of that, I started to see more deal flow.

You have to create opportunities, not just hope somebody's going to come and hand them to you.

What’s the best piece of non-obvious career advice you’ve gotten?

The best piece of non-obvious career advice came from the Willy Wonka movie: life is finite. Wonka launched the golden ticket contest after spotting a single gray hair—realizing time doesn’t wait.

It hit me that we often act like we have forever to chase what matters. But all we truly have is now. That mindset has fueled everything at our company: acquiring 7 companies in 18 months, closing our Series A, securing a bank facility, and building a business on track for over $200 million in revenue.

It’s surreal—but it all started with Willy Wonka reminding me: life is short, so what are you waiting for?

What was a “heartbeat moment” for you in your career?

I've been teaching undergrad at UCLA for years. A couple of years ago, a student came to my office hours. After a few minutes of talking, she got teary-eyed and said to me, "I didn't know people like us could be where you are."

I was sitting there very confused. And then I realized she meant women and women of color being able to teach at a university.

In the world of accounting and finance, it's predominantly Caucasian males. You hear representation as a buzzword, but this was the first time in my life I truly saw the impact of representation, and I felt what that does for other people.

Who is one person you’d love to give flowers to from your career that influenced your journey?

Karissa Bodnar and Yasmin Nouri are two women who’ve influenced how I lead and how I show up in high-stakes environments. From them, I’ve learned the power of direct, honest communication—the kind that surfaces what’s not working without making it personal. In fast-moving businesses, that kind of clarity is everything. 

They’ve also reminded me how important it is to have a trusted circle—people who operate at the same pace, understand the pressure, and show up with real support.

Where have you caused trouble?

Acquiring Winc. They were a company that went through bankruptcy, and another company mass purchased them, and we ended up going in and purchasing the direct-to-consumer component from Winc.

The company was in serious financial trouble, but this was a risk my co-founder Louis Amoroso and I were ready to take. We really saw significant potential to turn this company around. We’re causing good trouble by what we're doing to begin with, because we're shaking up the whole market and mergers and acquisitions. 

Some people assume we’re just taking over or changing these companies for the sake of it. But that’s not the case. These businesses need care, vision, and a second chance. We're not here to recreate the old—we're here to combine the best parts and build something new.

Want to nominate a Troublemaker you admire? You can do so here.

📣 10 YEARS. BIG NEWS.

We’re celebrating a decade of The FQ—and we’re just getting started.

The rules of the workplace were written over a century ago. It’s time to rewrite them. Introducing @FQLeaders → the newest chapter in our mission to make the workplace work for everyone. Follow @FQLeaders on Instagram.

DEAR FQ

Your burning career questions answered

Niki Fleshner of The Female Quotient weighs in:

Titles don’t define leadership—confidence does. The most influential people in any room aren’t always the ones with a title; they’re the ones who show up with conviction, clarity, and a collaborative spirit—and back it up with consistent action.

1. First, frame your idea in a way that aligns with your team’s goals—people support what feels relevant and beneficial to them. 

2. Second, show how your idea solves a problem or makes their work easier. 

3. Include others in the process. When people feel ownership, they’re far more likely to advocate alongside you. 

4. Bring the receipts. Come with data, insights, or examples that make your idea hard to ignore. Show how it supports team goals, drives results, or solves a shared problem. 

5. And finally, lead by example. Demonstrate your idea’s value in small, tangible ways, and momentum will build naturally.

True leadership is about impact. When you speak with confidence, lead with empathy, and turn vision into action, people listen.

P.S. Got a burning career question? Serve it up here to Dear FQ to score advice from a powerhouse leader in our network.

POLL THE PACK

The evolution of modern leadership: From command to collaboration

We're in a moment of powerful transition for both leaders and their teams. The future lies in democratic, delegative, and servant leaders, who prioritize collaboration, trust, and empathy—traits essential to a company’s success.

• Authoritative leaders provide clear direction and vision, making decisions confidently while allowing team members autonomy in execution.

• Democratic leaders involve team members in decision-making, valuing diverse perspectives and collaborative problem-solving.

• Delegative leaders empower team members with autonomy and trust them to handle responsibilities independently.

• Servant leaders prioritize the growth and well-being of their team members above their own advancement, removing obstacles and creating development opportunities.

Traditional command-and-control approaches are slowly giving way to more collaborative and empathetic styles that better align with today’s workforces, but there’s still room for progress. 78% of senior leaders acknowledge empathy is crucial, but only 47% believe their companies are effectively practicing it. *Cue the studies on women being effective and empathetic leaders.*

Take a note from Neha and remember, chase what matters to you. All we have is now.

Xo,

The FQ

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