President Joe Biden signed an order on Monday to enhance women’s health research while criticizing Republicans for overturning the national right to abortion. He emphasized making them pay at the ballot box in November. This initiative aims to address gender gaps in clinical trials and care as Democrats try to harness voter anger over reproductive rights being restricted in almost half the country following a significant Supreme Court decision in 2022. Biden was joined by First Lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and women’s health advocate Maria Shriver during the announcement.
Historically, medical research has neglected the specific needs of women, and it wasn’t until 1993 that Congress passed a law requiring female participation. The new executive order tasks federal science agencies with gathering comprehensive data on women’s health and closing research gaps concerning women’s midlife well-being. These measures are crucial as conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, heart attacks, and osteoporosis become more prevalent after menopause. Maria Shriver highlighted the importance of this order by noting that women account for two-thirds of Alzheimer’s patients and 80 percent of those with autoimmune diseases and multiple sclerosis, yet the reasons for these disparities are unknown.
The executive order allocates $200 million in fiscal year 2025 to establish a new Fund on Women’s Health overseen by the National Institutes of Health. President Biden has also urged Congress to invest $12 billion in this cause. The focus on women’s health research and addressing gender disparities in medical studies aims to provide better care and outcomes for women while acknowledging the power and significance of women’s health issues in society.