Trump signs executive order to strengthen women’s health research and care

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Oct. 19 to improve research for women’s health and support policy and regulation reforms related to diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and care. 

The EO establishes the White House Women’s Health Task Force, which will “ensure the Federal Government pursues a comprehensive approach to women’s health that recognizes evolving health needs from infancy, childhood, and adolescence through pregnancy, midlife, menopause, and aging, and supports necessary policy and regulatory reforms to ensure timely and stage-specific prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care for women,” the White House’s Fact Sheet on the EO states. 

The EO also directs the secretary of Health and Human Services and the director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to create a Women’s Health Division in the NIH to improve federally coordinated research and quicken its practical application. 

The Fact Sheet highlighted that in particular, more research is needed for cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular and heart disease, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, mental health, endometriosis, PMOS, infertility, menopause, maternal health, and other conditions related to women’s health. 

“Despite considerable advances in biomedical science, many diseases and conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women have not received the level of research, clinical attention, and treatment that other diseases and conditions have received,” the Fact Sheet states.

First Lady Melania Trump described the moment as “transformative” for women in America. 

“Beginning today, we will change the reality of women’s health,” she said Oct. 19. “Previous generations fought for women’s rights. Our generation will fight to discover the cures that will ensure a woman can live her life in health and to the fullest.”