STS Scholars Award: Toxic Shock Syndrome, Tampon Technology and Testing

STS 学者奖：中毒性休克综合症、卫生棉条技术和测试

• 批准号: 1534971
• 负责人: Sharra Vostral
• 金额: $ 13.3万
• 依托单位: Purdue University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2015-08-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1534971&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STS; Scholars; Award; Toxic; Shock

General Audience Summary This project examines the aftermath of Procter & Gamble's voluntarily recall of Rely tampons, due to the product's deadly association with Toxic Shock Syndrome. It focuses on the ways in which policy developed to warn women about the dangers of tampons in general and super-absorbent tampons in particular. The project has three core research questions. How were standards concerning materials testing for tampon absorbency established; how did various stakeholders, including corporations, federal agencies, and health advocacy groups, work to shape policy about tampon use; and how were warnings about risk conceptualized in light of absorbency standards? To answer these questions, the PI will engage in archival research at the Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women, Harvard University; specifically, she will focus on the library's collection of the papers of Esther Rome, a women's health advocate for tampon safety and founder of the Boston Women's Health Book Collective. The results of this research will be of interest STS scholars, particularly those engaged in research on feminist science and women-centered technology, and more broadly. They will also be of interest to health care professionals and experts in health care policy. In addition, they will have wide appeal to women, who are deeply interested in narratives of personal health and the impact of techno-science on their bodies.Technical Summary This project will advance knowledge in a number of overlapping fields including gender and women's studies, science and technology studies, history of medicine, history of science, and history of technology. It contributes the new framework of "biocatalytic technology" defined as technologies that are not primarily dangerous to humans, but have the potential to catalyze microbial activity that may result in harm through their use. The framing of biocatalytic technology helps to interpret, analyze and understand micro-biotechnological interfaces. This research conceptualizes the body as an ecological space and historicizes relationships of emergent technology, gender, and microbial constituents. It exemplifies the need for different voices in the lab, and not only women scientists but also invested publics. It calls upon medical practitioners to understand the effects of material objects, and the unexpected influence they may have not only on bodies but also upon microbial ecosystems as well.

一般观众摘要 该项目探讨了宝洁公司自愿召回 Rely 卫生棉条的后果，因为该产品与中毒性休克综合症有致命的关联。它重点关注政策制定的方式，以警告妇女卫生棉条的一般危险，特别是超吸收性卫生棉条的危险。该项目有三个核心研究问题。卫生棉条吸收性材料测试标准是如何制定的？包括企业、联邦机构和健康倡导团体在内的各种利益相关者如何努力制定有关卫生棉条使用的政策；以及如何根据吸收标准来概念化有关风险的警告？为了回答这些问题，首席研究员将在哈佛大学阿瑟和伊丽莎白施莱辛格图书馆进行妇女史档案研究；具体来说，她将重点关注图书馆收藏的埃斯特·罗马 (Esther Rome) 的论文，埃斯特·罗马是卫生棉条安全的女性健康倡导者，也是波士顿女性健康图书集体的创始人。这项研究的结果将引起 STS 学者的兴趣，特别是那些从事女权主义科学和以女性为中心的技术等领域研究的学者。医疗保健专业人员和医疗保健政策专家也会对它们感兴趣。此外，它们将对女性产生广泛的吸引力，因为她们对个人健康的叙述以及科学技术对她们身体的影响深感兴趣。 技术概要 该项目将推进许多重叠领域的知识，包括性别和妇女研究、科学技术研究、医学史、科学史和技术史。它贡献了“生物催化技术”的新框架，该技术被定义为主要对人类没有危险，但有可能催化微生物活动，从而可能通过其使用造成伤害的技术。生物催化技术的框架有助于解释、分析和理解微生物技术界面。这项研究将身体概念化为一个生态空间，并将新兴技术、性别和微生物成分的关系历史化。它体现了实验室中需要不同的声音，不仅是女科学家，还包括有投资的公众。它呼吁医生了解物质的影​​响，以及它们不仅对身体而且对微生物生态系统可能产生的意想不到的影响。