A forum of the EndoFrance association with 60 doctors calls for this disease to be better managed than what is currently being done.
Endometriosis is an unrecognized disease until recently. This very painful condition that affects the uterus, however, affects one in ten women … when the diagnosis is made. It is therefore a condition that affects many women and sometimes causes enormous damage due to the pain that affects the social life of those affected.
These pains are often minimized by society, particularly for young women, as Professor Michel Canis underlines in his book "Misconceptions about endometriosis":
"Because in the collective unconscious, it is normal for women to suffer during their period, and because the pain of very young women is more rarely taken into account, it is considered that only adult women are affected by endometriosis. However… Several studies have shown a high frequency of endometriosis (up to 50%), during laparoscopies performed on adolescent girls for severe pain (menstruation pain, digestive or urinary disorders and, once in two, continuous pain outside of menstruation). "
Now this disease is “an invisible source of disability with a strong impact on the quality of life of affected women"Denounces a column recently released by the EndoFrance association in Le Parisien, which also warns that “Every year in France, endometriosis is discovered in tens of thousands of women. In one-third to half of cases, the disease progresses to severe forms causing disability on a daily basis. "
Take action to recognize the disease more quickly
The EndoFrance association is therefore launching with this forum an appeal to the Minister of Solidarity and Health so that endometriosis is recognized as a long-lasting disease. This is indeed envisaged by Olivier Véran. While this gesture is an encouraged first step, it is not enough, underlines the forum.
What is at stake? Recognition as a long-term condition makes it possible to recognize the disease as a long-term pathology, the treatment of which is expensive. This is therefore the way towards opening up to 100% coverage of care related to this disease.
However, there is always a problem: The long-lasting condition is recognized once a medical diagnosis is made. However, this diagnosis can take a very long time to arrive: an average of seven years, according to surveys carried out by the association and its partners.
Faced with this, the platform calls for three strong axes of a dedicated national health plan.
First, initial and continuing training for all doctors, in order to reduce misdiagnosis of this still recently unrecognized disease.
Then the certification of centers of expertise dedicated to the management of endometriosis in each region in order to coordinate networks of care and patient care but also to conduct research projects.
Finally, the funding of research dedicated to this disease, described for the first time in the 19th century, and which still today without definitive treatments, “even if hormone therapy and / or surgery can stem the progression of this disease. for several months or years as the case may be. ” explains Endofrance on their site.
Find their forum on their site:
https://www.endofrance.org/tribune-dendofrance-parue-dans-le-parisien-aujourdhui-en-france-pour-un-plan-de-sante-national-contre-lendometriose/