Good news (though I'm not sure of the 'in this context' bit).
www.ukri.org/news/use-of-both-sexes-to-be-default-in-laboratory-experimental-design/?s
Using both sexes, in this context defined by a set of biological attributes, when designing research experiments will be the default for grant applications.
Womenrepresent about 50.6% of the UK population and there are sex differences in the prevalence and severity of most diseases and conditions, as well as responses to drugs and therapies.
However, in a recent survey conducted by MRC, only 44% of grant applications from May 2020 specified the sex of their animals, tissues or cells.
Of these, only 56% justified their choice of sex and only 54% of applications planned to use both male and female animals.
Sex differences can impact metabolism of drugs and hormones, and non-specific effects of drugs and their side-effects. In addition,every cell has a sexand male and female cells have different characteristics and responses to experimental conditions.