How four conditions for medical patients were approved: Part I
The news story Illinois News Joint recently published that garnered the most attention was not about legislative battles and political bluster. Our readers and followers reacted the most to the one positive story about the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) adding four new conditions to the list of qualifying debilitating condition for medical patients in the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Program. But these legal improvements don’t just happen by accident. This 2-Part Series sheds light on the four conditions (endometriosis, ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, and female orgasmic disorder) and the difficult, time consuming, and courageous work behind how they were approved.
Part I of this series starts with female orgasmic disorder (FOD). FOD involves orgasms that are absent, infrequent, markedly diminished in intensity, or markedly delayed in response to stimulation. FOD would not have been considered as a condition if not for two people passionate about its treatment: Gabriella Bova and Dr. Suzanne Mulvehill. Bova, an Illinois resident, volunteered with the nonprofit Female Orgasm Research Institute and became the first ever petitioner for FOD in any state.
“Struggling with FOD left me feeling frustrated and isolated, but when I met Dr. Mulvehill, I felt connected to an issue far bigger than my own experience,” Bova said. “Speaking out was difficult, but I decided that I wanted to challenge the stigma surrounding sexual issues like FOD. The courage I found to take on this work came from a place of hope that this petition could lead to change and better healthcare options for those who suffer like I did.”
Mulvehill, a Board-Certified Clinical Sexologist and Female Orgasmic Disorder Specialist and Executive Director and Founder of The Female Orgasm Research Institute, worked with Bova to prepare the petition with all the supportive documentation including peer-reviewed journal articles showing cannabis’ efficacy in treating FOD and supported Ms. Bova as she navigated the governmental process.
“I thank Gabriella Bova, who bravely volunteered to petition the state to add female orgasmic disorder as a treatable condition with medical cannabis,” said Mulvehill. “The women of Illinois who suffer from FOD now have access to a medicine that has been proven in scientific research to treat FOD and improve women’s health and wellbeing.”
The approval process did not happen overnight. Bova signed the petition Nov. 15, 2023, and submitted to MCAB and IDPH January 23, 2023. The Medical Cannabis Advisory Board (MCAB) hosted its first meeting Aug. 7, 2023, but did not meet again until March 11, 2024. In the March meeting, Bova and Mulvehill gave personal testimony and cited research advocating for the inclusion of FOD.
“I have struggled with FOD myself for most of my adult life, and I became interested in cannabis as a treatment when nothing else worked for me,” Bova said. “FOD affects up to 41% of women worldwide and there are no conventional medical treatments. The fact that percentage has not changed in 50 years tells us that this is a problem that is not being solved. Women who have FOD have more mental health issues, take more prescription medication, and deal with more depression, anxiety, and sexual abuse histories than women without FOD. It’s a serious and under recognized public health issue.”
MCAB members officially voted to recommend FOD as a condition the following month, May 13.
“She brought light into a very dark spot so that women can begin to treat and heal their FOD,” Mulvehill said. “As one who suffered with FOD myself for more than 30 years, despite having seen four sex therapists, I can attest to the feelings of inadequacy and shame that accompany having FOD. So I know firsthand what it is like to have it and heal from it.”\
Bova received a letter from IDPH Nov. 14, 2024, notifying her that her petition was approved. IDPH officially announced FOD as a qualifying condition Jan. 9, 2025.
“When public testimony aligns with the research, it brings the research to life and takes it out of the ‘science’ and puts it in ‘society,’” Mulvehill said. “That is what we are doing state by state, and in doing so, we are bringing awareness that FOD is treatable with medical cannabis so that women can heal and improve their health and wellbeing.”
Illinois had not added a new qualifying debilitating condition for medical patients since August 2019.
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