Biden to Sign Executive Order Promoting Research in Women's Health

President Joe Biden is expected to execute an executive order on Monday with the goal of advancing study into women's well-being. This action includes strengthening data collection and streamlining funding opportunities for biomedical studies.

Executive Order to be Signed by President Biden

Despite comprising half of the population, women's health has historically been insufficiently funded and understudied. It wasn't until the 1990s that the federal government mandated women's inclusion in federally funded medical research, with scientific studies mostly focused on males for much of medical history.

Currently, research often neglects to adequately account for differences between women and men, particularly in diseases more prevalent among women. Biden's executive order intended to address these disparities, according to aides.

Dr. Carolyn Mazure, who heads the White House initiative on women's health, asserts the need for more efficient prevention, diagnosis, and medications of numerous health circumstances affecting females.

President Biden expressed his belief in the power of research to save lives and improve healthcare quality while acknowledging the political significance of this order during an election year where women's support will be crucial.

First lady Jill Biden, who is leading the effort to organize female voters and spearheading the White House Initiative on Women's Health Research, highlights the administration's responsibility to this issue. The statement coincides with continuing debates encompassing women's healthcare following the Supreme Court's decision overturning federal abortion rights.

Biden's Administration Gives Importance on Women's Health

Females played an important role in Biden's 2020 election win, with numerous demographic groups showing noticeable voting patterns. The National Institutes of Health is also introducing initiatives focused on menopause and the treatment of menopausal manifestations, addressing research gaps and discrepancies.

Biden and the first lady were expected to reveal these measures during a Women's History Month reception at the White House.

The National Institutes of Health's funding is essential for biomedical study, specifically in understanding treatment effects and dosage. Some circumstances, like heart disease, display different manifestations between females and males, while others, such as Alzheimer's illness, are more prevalent in females. Unique conditions like endometriosis and uterine cancers also warrant comprehensive study.

Uneven research can have profound consequences, as evidenced by a 2020 study revealing overmedication and side effects in women due to predominantly male-focused dosage trials.

Following the Supreme Court's 2022 decision overturning Roe vs. Wade and a recent Alabama State Supreme Court ruling regarding frozen embryos, which posed a threat to in vitro fertilization, the Biden administration has increasingly criticized Republicans for undermining women's health.

During his State of the Union address, President Biden declared that such decisions would mobilize female voters in the upcoming election, pledging his administration's responsibility to invest in women's well-being in the coming year.

President Biden urged Congress to pass a $12 billion plan to establish a new fund for women's health study at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Meanwhile, the executive order signed on Monday will direct the NIH to allocate $200 million toward women's health studies. Dr. Biden announced the first step of the women's health initiative last month in Cambridge, Mass., with a $100 million investment to support women's health researchers and startups.

The executive order mandates agencies to annually report their investments in women's health research and explore ways in which artificial intelligence can advance such research.

The NIH will increase investments in small businesses focused on women's health by 50 percent. Additionally, the Defense Department plans to allocate $10 million to study cancers and mental health issues affecting women in active military service.