Call for Change: Expert Panel Urges $16 Billion and New NIH Institute to Boost Women’s Health Research

A report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) has highlighted significant deficiencies in women’s health research, calling on the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create a dedicated institute and allocate $16 billion for groundbreaking research initiatives. 

The call arises as experts emphasize years of insufficient funding and a lack of attention to conditions specific to women and the physiological differences based on sex.

The report highlights shortcomings in the Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), which was established in 1993, pointing out its insufficient authority and funding to effectively enforce NIH policies regarding women’s health research. Alina Salganicoff, co-chair of the 17-member panel, highlighted the critical necessity for structural reform to tackle disparities in conditions such as heart disease and endometriosis.

Salganicoff emphasized that NIH needs to address these research gaps to significantly enhance women's health.

Sherita Golden, an epidemiologist and co-author, highlighted the unequal impact of conditions such as lupus and heart disease on women from racially and ethnically minoritized backgrounds. While there have been advancements in the inclusion of clinical trials, the report highlights a notable lack of investment in both basic and applied research.

NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli stood by the agency’s current initiatives, yet the report contends that these efforts do not achieve the necessary systemic change.

The proposal encounters political hurdles, with the new conservative leadership aiming to reform the NIH, casting doubt on the establishment of a new institute. Advocates contend that placing emphasis on women’s health is not only overdue but also essential for achieving equity and addressing long-ignored medical needs.