Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Something we hear from women with endometriosis is that the very first step is believing them when they say they're in pain. We know people from different underserved groups are believed less commonly in the health care system. We know, for example, that Black women talk about the narrative of “the strong Black woman”—that they feel pain differently or don't feel pain. A lot of folks with endo talk about being accused of drug-seeking when they go to the emergency room looking for care.
We already know those biases exist in the system, and they just stack up with endometriosis. Already, if you're a woman, there might be a feeling that you're being “hysterical”. You might then also be considered to be drug-seeking.
There are so many biases that pile up for this population. We have a good sense of what they are. I think the next step is to start addressing them in different ways in the health system.