Breaking New Ground with the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research

By Madelyn Adams, Public Policy and Advocacy Manager at the Society for Women’s Health Research

On November 13, 2023, the Biden Administration took a historic step toward gender health equity with the launch of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. This initiative marks a pivotal moment in addressing the long-standing disparities in women’s health research. Just a few months later, in March 2024, the Administration further solidified its commitment by signing an Executive Order and urging Congress to invest a significant $12 billion into this crucial endeavor.

While the announcement of the initiative brings renewed optimism for the future of women’s health research, it also highlights the stark reality that much work remains to be done. Despite women making up more than half of the U.S. population, women's health needs have often been sidelined, with research and clinical practices frequently failing to account for their unique health experiences.

The Evolution of Women's Health Research

For years, women were often treated as “little men” in health care, with their health needs and biological differences largely ignored in both research and care decisions. This approach not only oversimplified the complexities of women’s health but also resulted in medications and treatments that may not be safe or effective for them. This gap is what inspired the creation of the Society for Women’s Health Research in 1990. Three years later, in 1993, women were finally required to be included in medical research. But it was not until 2016 that sex differences were required to be accounted for and studied in National Institutes of Health-funded research.

In recent years, countless strides have been made in the realm of women’s health research, particularly since federal policies mandated the inclusion of women and underrepresented minorities in clinical trials and researchers and advocates learned to embrace sex differences research. These policies have paved the way for a more inclusive approach to research, ensuring that women’s specific health needs are addressed. However, significant gaps still exist.

The Consequences of Incomplete Research

The implications of insufficient research on women’s health are far-reaching. Because of historical exclusion of women in clinical trials, there are knowledge gaps in how certain medications may impact women’s unique physiological responses leading to potential health risks. This is particularly true for pregnant and lactating individuals as research regarding safe medications and therapies for these populations is lacking, inhibiting access to treatments that may actually benefit them and their pregnancies. This was evident during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, when pregnant and lactating individuals were left out of early vaccine trials. The exclusion pregnant populations in COVID-19 vaccine research highlighted a flaw within our research ecosystem: when populations are left out of research, it leads to limited understanding and impaired health care decision-making. As a result, we saw COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in these populations, the spread of misinformation, as well as higher hospitalization and death rates of pregnant people due to the virus.

Maternal health and pregnancy research is crucial, but women’s health is more than maternal health. Every condition that women live with or act as a caregiver for is part of women’s health – and the research enterprise must recognize this.  Health conditions that uniquely, disproportionately or differently affect women—including but not limited to Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune conditions, and endometriosis—have often been understudied and underfunded. This lack of comprehensive research not only jeopardizes the health of women but also contributes to a broader health care system that does not adequately serve the needs of half its population. What we don’t know about women’s health is not just a gap in knowledge but a glaring inequity in care that demands urgent attention.

A Promising Future

The launch of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research signals a much-needed shift towards prioritizing women’s health in the research landscape. Thanks to the work of women’s health advocates across the U.S., there is hope for a new era of women’s health research that prioritizes inclusivity and addresses the pressing needs of women across all life stages.

The White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research has already yielded significant promise, including $100 million for ARPA-H Sprint for Women’s Health, $200 million in the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH), and $500 million of Department of Defense (DoD) funds being dedicated to women’s health research. While this funding is critical for advancing women’s health, it is not just about money; it is about fostering a culture of research that respects and prioritizes women’s health. By committing to a comprehensive approach that addresses historical disparities and encourages innovative research, the initiative signals just the beginning of a paradigm shift in how we think about and prioritize women’s health in the future.

Looking Ahead

As we look forward, it is crucial that stakeholders—from researchers to health care providers to policymakers—recognize the importance of advancing women’s health research. While the White House Initiative brings a wave of optimism, it also serves as a reminder that true health equity  requires ongoing commitment, funding, and action. Women's health can no longer be an afterthought but must be something that is embedded in medical research and health care policy at all levels. When we improve women’s health, we improve health care for us all. With collective effort and robust funding, we can bridge the gaps in women’s health research and ultimately improve health outcomes for women across the lifespan.

Learn more about the Society for Women’s Health Research at swhr.org and join us in making women’s health mainstream.