Media Advisory

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Independent panel to present findings on polycystic ovary syndrome

What

A press telebriefing will be held by an impartial, independent panel to discuss their findings and recommendations on polycystic ovary syndrome.

When/Where

Please call in 5 to 10 minutes prior to the start of the press telebriefing. Media will be asked for name and outlet. Interested parties who are not affiliated with a media outlet may listen in, but will not be permitted to ask questions during the call.

Who

Panel members from a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Evidence-based Methodology Workshop will be answering questions from the press: http://prevention.nih.gov/workshops/2012/pcos/panel.aspx.

Why

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common hormone disorder that affects approximately 5 million reproductive-aged women in the United States. Women with PCOS have difficulty becoming pregnant due to hormone imbalances and often have other symptoms such as irregular or no menstrual periods (for women of reproductive age), acne, weight gain, excess hair growth on the face or body, thinning scalp hair, and ovarian cysts. Women with PCOS are also at risk for type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Costs to the U.S. healthcare system to identify and manage PCOS are approximately $4 billion annually.

To better understand the benefits and drawback of using various diagnostic criteria, the condition’s causes, predictors, and long-term consequences, as well as optimal prevention and treatment strategies, the NIH Office of Disease Prevention convened an Evidence-based Methodology Workshop on December 3–5, 2012, to assess the available scientific evidence on PCOS. The panel's report, which summarizes the workshop and identifies future research priorities, incorporates the panel's assessment of the available evidence from a systematic literature review, expert presentations, audience input, and public comments. Additional information about the NIH Evidence-based Methodology Workshop on Polycystic Ovary Syndrome is available at http://prevention.nih.gov/workshops/2012/pcos.

The Office of Disease Prevention (ODP) assesses, facilitates, and stimulates research in health promotion and disease prevention in collaboration with the NIH and other public and private partners, and disseminates the results of this research to improve public health. For more information about the ODP, visit http://prevention.nih.gov.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health®

###