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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Amelia Hill

Why sex bias in labs means women are the losers in research into ageing

An elderly woman uses a mobility walker in a garden
About 75% of the drugs that extend lifespan in mice work only on males. Photograph: Paul Miller/AAP

Extending the human lifespan is a multibillion-pound industry and has been hailed as the most fascinating scientific challenge in modern history. But if a drug to achieve longevity is ever discovered, one thing looks certain: it is highly unlikely to work on women – and almost inconceivable that it will work on mothers.

That is because, say experts, cages in laboratories across the world are filled with white mice who share a striking similarity: they are all male.

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