Biden announces new initiative to ‘spur innovation’ in women’s health research
First Lady Jill Biden, who will lead the new initiative that will explore public-private partnerships and engage private and philanthropic leaders to drive innovation in women's health, says a lack of research is “not acceptable.”
Citing research gaps with serious consequences for women’s health, the Biden Administration on Monday announced the establishment of the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research. First Lady Jill Biden — a long-time champion of women’s health — will lead the effort in tandem with the White House Gender Policy Council. Carolyn Mazure, who created the Women’s Health Research Center at the Yale School of Medicine, will chair the initiative.
Additionally, President Joe Biden has asked multiple agencies to deliver recommendations to advance women’s health research — addressing, among other issues, health disparities and inequities — within 45 days. Those agencies include the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Defense, and Veterans Affairs, and White House offices such as the Office of Management and Budget and the Office of Science and Technology Policy. To deliver results quickly, plans call for initiative members to prioritize their focus on areas of research in which additional investment could be transformative (such as heart attacks in women and menopause).
The initiative also is expected to explore new public-private partnerships and engage private and philanthropic leaders to drive innovation in women’s health research.
This has been a long time coming, according to the First Lady.
“Every woman I know has a story about leaving her doctor’s office with more questions than answers. Not because our doctors are withholding information, but because there’s just not enough research yet on how to best manage and treat even common women’s health conditions. In 2023, that is unacceptable,” she said in a statement issued by the White House. “Our new [initiative] will help change that by identifying bold solutions to uncover the answers that every woman and her family deserves. We also are calling on congressional leaders, the private sector, research institutions, and philanthropy to join us in taking urgent action to improve the health and lives of women throughout the nation.”
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“I have always believed in the power of research to save lives and to ensure that Americans get the high-quality health care they need,” the President added. “To achieve scientific breakthroughs and strengthen our ability to prevent, detect, and treat diseases, we have to be bold.”
The Associated Press reports that former California first lady and women’s health advocate Maria Shriver was influential in helping the Bidens choose to close research gaps in women’s health. Shriver told reporters that the Bidens “understand that we cannot answer the question of how to treat women medically if we do not have the answers that only come from research.”
Shriver also noted that more women than men are afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease, and that they suffer from depression and anxiety at twice the levels of men. What’s more, women of color are two to three times more likely to die of pregnancy-related complications than white women.