Sex as biological variable - What is this?

  • Sex as a biological variable

    • MDAR, NIH, CONSORT, ARRIVE

    • Reporting the sex of any and all organisms, cell lines, and human subjects.

    • NIH Video explaining SABV policy

    • If we find a statement about sex of subjects, then SciScore expects to find the following items (randomization, blinding, power);

    • Example: All females were of reproductive age and none were on progestin.

Please consider sex as a biological variable in your study or let the reviewers and readers know why that is not appropriate. Cell lines are not immune to having a sex. Please note, HeLa cells were derived from a female patient, thus may not be appropriate for studies of prostate cancer.

For the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) Policy on Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV) in Research and associated changes to application requirements will be in place and information will be available at https://ebrap.org/

This policy includes biological research funded by the following: DOD, DHA, US Army, USAMRDC, USAMRAA, CDMRP