European Parliament host seminar to highlight suffering of women with endometriosis

This week Diana Wallis MEP, Vice-President of the European Parliament, will host a seminar in Brussels to highlight the campaign to raise awareness of endometriosis. Diana Wallis MEP said: "Raising awareness of this disease is essential as endometriosis affects at least 14 million women and girls in the EU.

"Although it is difficult to predict precisely how much endometriosis costs, it is thought that in the region of €30 billion a year is lost just in days taken off work due to illness. Yet due to a lack of awareness, both in the medical professions and amongst the general

public, sufferers face an average wait of eight years from presenting with symptoms to being diagnosed." As part of this awareness-raising exercise Diana Wallis MEP, herself an endometriosis sufferer, will host a lunch seminar on 28 March at 12.30 in the European Parliament.

She will be joined by Senator Laura Bianconi, who will explain the Italian five-year plan to improve treatments for those with endometriosis. Italy is the first member state to recognise endometriosis as a social disease and Senator Bianconi will call on her colleagues across Europe to do the same.

Diana Wallis MEP further added:
"Recent studies show that endometriosis costs society more than migraine and Crohn's disease. However researchers suffer from a lack of funding. I am hoping we really raise awareness and turn this around with the event this week." In 2005 a Written Declaration on Endometriosis, organised by Diana Wallis in the European Parliament, attracted more signatures than on any other human health issue.

Lone Hummelshoj, Secretary General of the World Endometriosis Society, concluded:
“Despite the success of the 2005 Written Declaration, endometriosis is still being left behind. At a time where gender equality appears to be a priority, women’s health and endometriosis in particular – in contrast with diseases such as osteoarthritis – is being neglected despite its prevalence and impact on society. It is time we start seeing investment into female specific benign, chronic diseases on the same scale as for male specific benign and chronic disease.”