What happens with the WHI–is it ended?
A. The WHI was launched in 1991 and consists of a set of clinical trials and an observational study, which together involve more than 161,000 generally healthy postmenopausal women. The clinical trials were designed to test the effects of postmenopausal hormone therapy, diet modification, and calcium and vitamin D supplements on heart disease, fractures, and breast and colorectal cancer. • The hormone trial had two studies–of estrogen-alone therapy and of estrogen-plus-progestin therapy. Those studies have now ended. The women in these studies are now participating in a follow-up phase, which should last until 2007. • The clinical trials on diet modification, and calcium and vitamin D supplements are continuing as planned and should end in 2005. The participants will then enter a follow-up phase. The observational study is looking for predictors and biological markers for disease. It is continuing as planned and should end in 2005. Analyses of data from the WHI studies are under way a
