The Fifth Wave

Documentary series on gaps in women's health research and treatment AI summary

IWK Foundation Visit website › Health & Fitness · EN · 21 episodes · latest 2026-11-04

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What it is about

In The Fifth Wave: Curing the Healthcare Bias against Women, healthcare champions, the IWK Foundation, bring to light the profound and often dangerous consequences the gap in women’s health and research has had on women. The study of human biology has defaulted to the male body, which has hindered understanding of sex-based biological differences and results in fewer available and less effective treatments for women. We have been living in a world built for men, not only in heath care, but transportation, technology and beyond. This series will spark both curiosity and outrage leaving you wanting large scale change – a movement even. With insights from medical experts and researchers, The Fifth Wave challenges the default male standard and asks: What happens when half the population is left out of the equation? We hope to empower every woman and girl with the awareness and information to take charge of her health. Hosted by Avis Favaro.

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IWK Foundation

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Latest episodes

The Not-So-Golden Years

2026-11-04 · 36 min · Season 3, episode 5

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, we examine whether women are living longer, healthier lives, or just longer ones. Senior women are twice as likely to live in poverty as senior men, and 30% of elderly women live below…
Making a Difference In Your Own Backyard

2026-10-21 · 43 min · Season 3, episode 4

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro uses Derek Sivers' famous "first follower" leadership talk as a lens for how change in women's health actually happens: not just through the person leading, but through the…
The Hidden Injury: Brain Trauma, Menopause, and the Fight to Protect Women's Minds

2026-10-07 · 35 min · Season 3, episode 3

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro explores why women's brains are different, and looks for answers to why nearly two-thirds of people living with Alzheimer's are women. Dr. Jenny Rabin of Sunnybrook…
Breaking the Bias: Science That Finally Includes Women

2026-09-23 · 32 min · Season 3, episode 2

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro asks a hard question: what happens when women aren't counted? Only 7% of Canadian health research funding specifically targets women, a number that hasn't moved in 15…
Europe's Progress on Women's Health

2026-09-09 · 37 min · Season 3, episode 1

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro looks at how Europe is pushing women's health policy forward, and what Canada can learn from it. Since 1957, gender equality has been part of EU law, but almost seven…
Fitness For Women

2026-06-24 · 24 min · Season 2, episode 7

Movement is one of the most powerful…and overlooked…tools for women’s long term health. In this episode of The Fifth Wave, insights from sport and exercise physician Dr. Tina Atkinson, athletic trainer Kaelin Agar,…
The Postpartum Abyss

2026-06-10 · 36 min · Season 2, episode 6

Nearly 50% of young women report negative healthcare experiences. And that is more and more visible in postpartum care. In this episode of The Fifth Wave, Avis Favaro explores why new mothers often “fall off a cliff”…
Delayed Diagnosis, Denied Relief

2026-05-06 · 37 min · Season 2, episode 5

Endometriosis affects 1 in 10 people who menstruate, nearly 190 million worldwide. Yet it remains one of the most misunderstood and underdiagnosed women’s health conditions. In this episode of The Fifth Wave, public…
Menopause At Work

2026-04-22 · 27 min · Season 2, episode 4

This episode of The Fifth Wave dives into one of the least discussed but most consequential workplace issues today: menopause and its massive impact on women, employers and the economy. With nearly 2 million working…
Carrying The Mental Load

2026-04-08 · 31 min · Season 2, episode 3

In this episode of The Fifth Wave, we expose the deep rooted gender bias baked into women’s healthcare, from being dismissed as “emotional” to receiving later diagnoses and poorer mental health support. Featuring…

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Publisher details

Owner: Story Studio Network, IWK Foundation
Oldest episode in feed: 05/2025 · over a year
Typical length: 29 min
Format: Episodic Newest first, episodes stand alone

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