The Disparity in Funding
According to a Washington Post article published on August 6, 1996 ("War Between Sexes Rages Over Research: Funds to study prostate, Breast Cancer at Issue " page A 13), during the 4-year period beginning in 1993, the Department of Defense spent $210 million on breast cancer research and about $20 million on prostate cancer research. This led the staff writer, Rick Weiss, to conclude:
"The Department of Defense is used to dealing with wars, but recently it has been drawn into an especially intractable conflict: the war between the sexes. The battle is being waged between advocates for patients with breast cancer and those with prostate cancer, the two leading cancers of women and men, respectively."
The following analysis by the Men's Health Network reveals that during that period, the Department of Defense spent $ 2,375.51 per uniformed female on breast cancer research and only $ 15.67 per uniformed male on prostate cancer research.
Analysis by:
Men's Health NetworkTM
Washington, DC
[email protected]/a>
www.menshealthnetwork.org
September 6, 1996
According to the Department of Defense, Defense Manpower Datacenter:
(The following numbers do not include cadets or retirees according to the Public Inquiry section:)
Total number in uniform: 1,467,892 female: 191,538 13.05% male: 1,276,354 86.95% Officers: 234,168 female: 31,114 13.29% male: 203,054 86.71% Enlisted: 1,233,724 female: 160,434 13.0% male: 1,073,290 87.0%
Washington Post, August 6, 1996
Department of Defense research expenditures:
1993: Total: $ 215,000,000 Breast: 210,000,000 (2-year budget) Prostate: 5,000,000 1994: Total: $ 30,000,000 Breast: 25,000,000 (additional) Prostate: 5,000,000 1995: Total: $ 155,000,000 Breast: 150,000,000 (2-year budget) Prostate: 5,000,000 1996: Total: $ 75,000,000 Breast: 70,000,000 (additional) Prostate: 5,000,000 1993 through 1996 Total: $ 475,000,000 Breast: 455,000,000 95.79% Prostate: 20,000,000 4.21%
Total expenditures per uniformed personnel:
Breast: $ 455,000,000 for 191,538 = $ 2,375.51 per uniformed female
PProstate: $ 20,000,000 for 1,276,354 = $ 15.67 per uniformed male
Men's
Health Network
[email protected]