President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish the Women’s Health Division within 90 days and creating a White House Women’s Health Task Force. The initiatives were championed by First Lady Melania Trump and will focus on advancing research and improving care across women’s health.
“Women deserve strong research that helps them and their doctors answer key health questions they face at every stage of life,” said NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya. “This new division will help close lingering evidence gaps, expand and maximize the impact of our research investments, and bring discoveries closer to patients.”
The new division will coordinate research into understudied conditions, support the development of new diagnostic and treatment approaches, and strengthen the inclusion of women and girls in clinical trials. The existing Office of Research on Women’s Health – established in 1990 to advocate for female-specific research – will continue to operate and will work with the new division to advance scientific discoveries and federally funded research.
“Today, we’re ensuring women’s needs, experiences, and voices guide the care they receive at every stage of life,” said Dr. Erica Schwartz, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “This executive order will help us put proven interventions into practice, diagnose conditions earlier, expand treatment options, and prevent disease.”
The newly formed White House Women’s Health Task Force will coordinate federal initiatives addressing conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women, including endometriosis, fibroids, PMOS, menopause, cardiovascular disease, maternal health, and fertility. The task force will be co-chaired by White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
