Common Corpus No. 13
For all women, for life
Welcome back to Common Corpus, our weekly curation of the best evidence-based women’s health content designed to help you navigate, optimize, and advocate for your well-being at every stage of life.
This week, we look at how the HPV vaccine has effectively eliminated cervical cancer amongst young women in the UK, what we know (and what we don’t know) about the benefits of GLP-1s, the impact of PMOS on the menopause transition, and a big step towards addressing period poverty in Pakistan, along with much more.
We hope you find this week’s resources insightful, useful, and empowering as you navigate your own health journey. If you’re enjoying Common Corpus and finding it useful, please share it with anyone else who might be interested.
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News & Noteworthy
What’s making the news in women’s health
The HPV vaccine effectively eliminates the risk of young women in England dying of cervical cancer
New research from England reveals that the HPV vaccine has effectively reduced the risk of young women dying from cervical cancer to practically zero.
Analyzing health data between 2020 and 2024, researchers found that exactly zero women aged 20 to 24 died from cervical cancer, a historic first since the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine was routinely rolled out to 12- and 13-year-olds.
The study estimates the immunization program has already prevented roughly 200 cervical cancer deaths by successfully protecting adolescents before they are exposed to cancer-causing viral strains.
This is anticipated to be just the beginning of the vaccine’s impact, with an expected increase in lives saved as this fully vaccinated generation reaches their late 30s and 40s, when cervical cancer mortality traditionally peaks.
The takeaway: This represents a massive public health achievement and stands as a testament to the effectiveness of the HPV vaccine as a highly successful, life-saving cancer-prevention tool. It also underscore the critical importance of robust, early-age HPV vaccination programs worldwide to eradicate cervical cancer.
Beyond the hype: What do we really know about the health benefits of GLP-1s?
While GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic show immense promise for a growing list of health conditions from cancer prevention to combating addiction, scientists caution that the research is still catching up to the hype.
Beyond treating diabetes and weight loss, large clinical trials have already proven that GLP-1 medications effectively reduce the risk of heart attacks, strokes, metabolic liver disease, and sleep apnea.
Mounting observational studies suggest these drugs may also have powerful anti-cancer properties, with recent research linking GLP-1 use to dramatically reduced tumour progression and up to a 35% lower risk of developing breast cancer.
Researchers hypothesize that these medications might combat cancer by directly impacting various biological pathways in the body, independent of the benefits gained from weight loss alone.
Despite these encouraging early findings, experts warn against treating GLP-1s as a universal cure-all, noting that observational studies only show associations rather than a causal link. And hope of GLP-1s holding benefits for cognitive function and Alzheimer’s disease based on observational data have not been borne out in clinical trials, meaning it is too early to infer too much from observational studies of other health benefits.
The takeaway: GLP-1 medications seem to hold much promise in terms of their potential to revolutionize modern preventative medicine and oncology. It is crucial, however, to temper the current excitement with scientific rigour. Long-term clinical trials are still needed to support these new applications.
The Latest Research
The latest in academic research in women’s health
Women with PCOS/PMOS may experience a later menopausal transition
A recent population-based birth cohort study reveals that women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS, now PMOS) tend to experience a later menopausal transition. Specifically, researchers found that women with PCOS/PMOS were less likely to be in late peri- or postmenopause by age 46, reporting fewer disruptive symptoms like hot flashes and sleep disturbances at that age. Further investigation of the consequences of PCOS/PMOS beyond menopause is needed, but this evidence of prolonged ovarian function and longer exposure to natural estrogens could confer health benefits. This is rather timely given the recent renaming of the condition in an effort to shift the understanding of the condition and its treatment away from a purely reproductive focus.
Listen & Learn
The latest in women’s health audio content worth your time
How to glow with Dr. Justine Hextall
Dermatologist Dr. Justine Hextall breaks down the biological changes that drive increased sensitivity, dryness, and dullness in women's skin throughout their 20s, 30s, 40s, and beyond. She explains how hormonal shifts, particularly the decline of collagen and estrogen, fundamentally alter skin structure, making the protection of your natural skin barrier far more critical than investing in expensive, trendy products. She cuts through all the misinformation online to clarify exactly which active ingredients, such as vitamin C and retinoids, are effective and how to introduce them safely without triggering inflammation. She also discusses the increasing use of active ingredients and cosmetic treatments by younger people, in their teens and 20s, and the problems with the use of more aggressive approaches to skincare at an early age. This is a very balanced, practical, evidence-based discussion of what women need to know to take care of their skin at every age.
The Global Perspective
Women’s health around the world
Pakistan eliminates ‘luxury tax’ on menstrual products and contraceptives
Following a major legal battle and public advocacy campaign, the Pakistani government is officially eliminating the 18% "luxury" sales tax on menstrual products and contraceptives starting July 1, 2026. For decades, this steep tax has contributed to period poverty, putting commercially manufactured sanitary items out of reach for the vast majority of women and girls in the country. While human rights advocates are celebrating the unprecedented legal victory, experts warn that removing the sales tax does not automatically guarantee retailers will lower consumer prices, noting that other import duties still apply. Furthermore, activists stress that while making these essential health products affordable is a critical first step, the country still faces a massive hurdle in dismantling the deep, pervasive societal stigma surrounding menstruation.
Common Interest
Quick hits that we found interesting, thought-provoking, or useful this week
The perimenopause and menopause gold rush is on, and Apple wants in now too. LINK
From opening meetings with "hello ladies and sons of ladies" to assuming men are talking about women’s sports instead of men’s, women on social media are mastering the delightfully defiant art of "microfeminisms" to quietly flip the script on everyday sexism. LINK
Argentina has taken an unconventional approach to holding parents accountable for child support, handing over a list of 13,000 parents in child support debt to U.S. authorities and asking them to ban them from attending World Cup matches. The Argentine government makes a compelling case that if you can afford to attend the World Cup, you can afford to feed your kids. LINK
With a combined age of 316, three Brazilian sisters, recently named the world's oldest living siblings, hope to help scientists better understand the genetics behind longevity. LINK