Introduction
Last week, we shared how science often misrepresents the real harms — and real potentials — of psychoactive substances.
Today, we go a step further.
Because there’s an even deeper gap: gender.
Women are still systematically left out of drug research.
Especially when it comes to mood, pain, and mental health — the very domains where female biology matters most.
At Period Pill, we believe it’s time to change that.
The Big Problem
Historically, women have been excluded from clinical drug trials.
The reasons sound logical at first — hormonal cycles add complexity, pregnancy carries ethical risks.
But the result is catastrophic:
- Dosing recommendations are often based on male physiology.
- Side effects go unrecognized until post-market.
- Effectiveness for cyclical mood and pain disorders remains largely unknown.
When it comes to psychoactive compounds — substances that interact directly with brain chemistry — this oversight becomes even more dangerous.
PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) is a clear case study.
A condition that causes depression, anxiety, and physical pain in connection with hormonal shifts — yet few treatments were ever tested on women.
What the Research Gap Means in Practice
Research shows that:
- Women’s response to antidepressants, painkillers, and psychoactives can vary dramatically across the menstrual cycle.
- Fluctuating levels of estrogen and progesterone influence mood regulation, neuroplasticity, and drug metabolism.
- Yet most studies either exclude women or fail to account for these variables.
This leads to treatments that don’t fully work — or worse, treatments that cause harm.
Why Period Pill Is Different
At Period Pill, it is simple:
Women’s bodies are not a complication. They are the starting point.
That’s why our Phase 2 research with Professor Johannes Ramaekers (Maastricht University) is investigating 3-MMC as a potential treatment for PMDD-related symptoms — depression, mood instability, and pain.
In our recent Phase 1 study, early findings suggest that 3-MMC is associated with:
- Reduced pain
- Improved mood
These effects could be highly relevant for addressing some of the most debilitating symptoms experienced by women with PMDD.
But the path forward must be built on rigorous, inclusive science — not assumptions borrowed from male-centric models.
The Future We’re Building
We can’t build new solutions using old systems.
We can’t serve women’s health by pretending biology doesn’t matter.
At Period Pill, we’re committed to:
- Centering female physiology in psychoactive research
- Closing the gender gap in psychical and mental health innovation
- And creating medicines that respect the realities of hormonal health
PMDD is not rare.
Women’s pain is not rare.
What’s rare is scientific focus.
That’s what we’re here to change.
References
- Beery, A. K., & Zucker, I. (2011). Sex bias in neuroscience and biomedical research. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 35(3), 565-572.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2010.07.002 - Clayton, J. A., & Collins, F. S. (2014). Policy: NIH to balance sex in cell and animal studies. Nature, 509(7500), 282–283.
https://doi.org/10.1038/509282a - Hantsoo, L., & Epperson, C. N. (2015). Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: Epidemiology and Treatment. Current Psychiatry Reports, 17(11), 87.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-015-0628-3 - Albert, K., & Newhouse, P. (2019). Estrogen, stress, and depression: Cognitive and biological interactions. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 15, 399-423.
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-clinpsy-050718-095520 - Ramaekers, J.G., Reckweg, J.T., Mason, N.L. et al. Safety and cognitive pharmacodynamics following dose escalations with 3-methylmethcathinone (3-MMC): a first in human, designer drug study. Neuropsychopharmacol. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41386-024-02042-7