Barnard College to Host Discussion on the Controversies Surrounding Hormone Replacement Therapy, Nov. 21

Contact: Petra Tuomi, The Office of Public Affairs, 212-854-7907

New York, NY, November 6, 2002 – In the Summer of 2002, the federal government’s Women’s Health Initiative released new findings about the possible dangers of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), adding fuel to an already heated debate: Do the benefits of the therapy outweigh the risks? Barnard College will host a timely panel discussion titled "Women’s Health: Is It All Hormonal?—Sorting Through the Confusion of Hormone Replacement Therapy," on Thursday, November 21, at 7:00 p.m., in the Julius S. Held Lecture Hall. Denise Grady, Health and Medicine Reporter for The New York Times, will moderate the panel. The event is free and open to the public, however, RSVP is required at 212-854-2005 or at alumnaeaffairs@barnard.edu.

The panelists, leaders on the topic in the medical field, include: Dr. Nieca Goldberg ’79, Chief of the Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention Center at Lenox Hill Hospital and author of Women Are Not Small Men; Dr. Alison Estabrook ’74, Chief of the Division of Breast Surgery at St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center; Dr. Michelle Friedman ’74, a psychiatrist in private practice, focusing on the interface of obstetrics/gynecology and psychiatry; Dr. Fredi Kronenberg, Associate Professor of Clinical Physiology/Rehabilitation Medicine at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center; and Dr. Judy Schwartz ’78, a gynecologist in private practice.

Hormone replacement therapy is a complex and controversial treatment. Advocates point to evidence that the therapy may help prevent colon cancer and strengthens bones in addition to easing hot flashes and other symptoms of menopause, but there is also research that HRT may increase the risk of blood clots and breast cancer. The panel will explore the controversies surrounding the issues of hormone therapy, including its development, safety, uses in the treatment of menopause, and its future in medicine.

As a Health and Medicine Reporter for The New York Times, Denise Grady has written extensively on a variety of health-related topics including hormone therapy, ovarian cancer, weight loss, herbal medicine, and AIDS. She has edited two books for the newspaper called The New York Times Guide to Alternative Health, and The New York Times Book of Women’s Health.

Dr. Nieca Goldberg ’79 is the founder and chief of the Women’s Heart Program at Lenox Hill Hospital and her book, Women Are Not Small Men, discusses the symptoms and effects of heart disease experienced uniquely by women, and offers insights into a complete treatment and prevention program designed for women’s specific needs.

Dr. Alison Estabrook ’74, a professor of clinical surgery, has been Chief of Breast Surgery at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center for the past eleven years. Continuing her strong commitment to patient care, Dr. Estabrook established the Comprehensive Breast Center (CBC), a state-of-the-art facility for the diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, fulfilling her vision of providing patients with total care in a supportive environment. The CBC offers comprehensive services in one location and addresses each patient’s emotional and physical needs. Dr. Estabrook has been named one of the top doctors in New York, America, and for women
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Dr. Michelle Friedman ’74 received her M.D. at the New York University School of Medicine. After interning at St. Vincent’s Hospital she completed a residency in psychiatry at Mt. Sinai, where she is on staff as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Friedman has also received a certificate in psychoanalysis from the Columbia University Institute. Her chief interests are the interface between psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology and the interface between psychiatry and religious life. In addition to her private practice, she is the director of pastoral counseling at the new rabbinical seminary in Manhattan, Yeshivat Chovevei Torah.

Dr. Fredi Kronenberg is recognized internationally as a leading researcher in the area of menopause and, in particular, in the study of menopausal hot flashes. She is dedicated to educating practitioners, researchers, and the public in the field of women’s health and alternative medicine. She is a founder and member of the Board of Trustees of the North American Menopause Society and is on the editorial board of the journal Menopause.

Dr. Judy Schwartz graduated from Barnard in 1978 with a degree in Biology/Psychology, and received her M.D. in 1982 from the Sinai School of Medicine. She is now an Assistant Clinical Professor in obstetrics and gynecology at Mt. Sinai. She also has a private practice, specializing in gynecology.

For more information, please contact the Barnard College Office of Alumnae Affairs at 212-854-0555.