President Donald Trump signed the executive order on Monday. The National Institutes of Health now has 90 days to establish a women’s health division under it.
A White House task force is part of the order, too. It will be led by the health and human services secretary and the White House chief of staff. The group will coordinate federal research and work to bring findings into use in doctors’ offices, hospitals and public health programs.
In the White House order, Trump said conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women have received too little research and clinical attention. The directive covers women’s health throughout life, including pregnancy, menopause and aging.
The new division will sit within an NIH institute or center and work with the agency’s Office of Research on Women’s Health. The health and human services secretary, acting through the NIH director, is responsible for establishing it.
The order points to gaps in research on heart disease and cancer. Stroke, Alzheimer’s disease and osteoporosis are named as well. Autoimmune and inflammatory conditions need more study, the order says, as do mental health, chronic pain, endometriosis and fibroids. Infertility and maternal health are on that list, too.
The directive says more women and girls should be included in clinical trials. The division will support methods for studying differences in health outcomes by sex and hold grant recipients accountable for following NIH’s policy on sex as a biological variable.
Researchers will also receive support for studies that test whether earlier findings can be reproduced. The division’s responsibilities include coordinating research across disciplines and promoting technologies intended to shorten the wait for a diagnosis and improve access to treatment.
The task force will include Cabinet officials responsible for war, agriculture, labor, education and veterans affairs, along with the Environmental Protection Agency administrator and federal health agency leaders. Its co-chairs may invite other administration officials.
The panel’s work includes prevention, earlier diagnosis, treatment and the development of new therapies. It will promote updated clinical education and prioritize grants aimed at preventing and managing health risks.
Agency heads may receive recommendations for pilot programs that connect primary care, specialty care and behavioral health services. Those programs could also address barriers between federal agencies and programs.
The task force may gather advice through public hearings, meetings and roundtables. It will consult states, tribal nations, local governments, community and faith-based organizations, businesses and philanthropic groups.
HHS will cover the panel’s administrative costs.
Trump’s order revokes Executive Order 14120, issued March 18, 2024, on women’s health research and innovation. It also revokes a Nov. 13, 2023, presidential memorandum establishing a White House women’s health research initiative.
The directive sets no new research funding amount. Its implementation depends on available appropriations and applicable law, and it creates no legally enforceable right or benefit.
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