29 November 2025 | GENDRO
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Geneva, 29 November 2025 A Letter published today in the Correspondence section of The Lancet announces the launch of the SAGER-Ethics Working Group, established by GENDRO to strengthen ethical guidance on sex and gender inclusive and responsive research. The Letter emphasises that addressing gender bias in research is not only a scientific necessity but also an ethical responsibility, central to achieving gender equity in health and improving the quality and relevance of evidence involving human participants.
The SAGER-Ethics Working Group brings together experts from bioethics, public health, medicine and related fields. Its purpose is to extend the widely used SAGER Guidelines and to develop SAGER-Ethics guidelines that support the consistent and accountable integration of sex and gender considerations across the research cycle. Ensuring that researchers understand the ethical implications of overlooking these dimensions, and that ethics committees and review processes are equipped to raise awareness, encourage and assess their inclusion in research protocols, is a key step towards more inclusive and responsible research systems.
“Our goal is to harmonise the recommendations of the SAGER Guidelines and support their implementation across the entire research cycle,” said Dr Shirin Heidari, Executive Director of GENDRO. “We want all actors and stakeholders in the research ecosystem to feel responsible, engaged and able to take ownership of addressing sex and gender biases in research. The response so far has been very positive, with many recognising the need for all research actors to work in concert to drive meaningful change and safeguard scientific integrity.”
The Letter underscores that progress requires coordination between researchers, institutions, ethics committees, funders and publishers. The forthcoming SAGER-Ethics guidelines will be informed by global consultations and evidence review, offering clear, practical recommendations aligned with commitments to equity, integrity and responsible science.
Further information, including opportunities for engagement as the Working Group advances, contact GENDRO. After the embargo lifts, the Letter will be available here: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(25)02210-X/fulltext.
About GENDRO
GENDRO is a non-for-profit, non-governmental association registered as a charity in Geneva, Switzerland. Its mission is to advance equity through the integration of sex and gender dimensions in research across disciplines. GENDRO works collaboratively with partners to identify gaps, strengthen capacity, generate evidence, and promote equitable approaches to knowledge production. Further information is available on our website.
About the SAGER-Ethics Working Group: https://gendro.org/activities/sager-ethics/
About the SAGER Guidelines: https://gendro.org/sager-guidelines/
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Letters published in the Correspondence section represent the views of the authors and not necessarily the views of The Lancet journals. Letters to the Editor are not normally externally peer reviewed.