Leading U.S. women’s health organizations have introduced the National Strategy to Close the Women’s Health Gap, a framework urging Congress to invest $20 billion over the next decade to strengthen women’s health research, clinical care, workforce development, and health data infrastructure. The proposal brings together medical and advocacy organizations behind a coordinated plan aimed at improving health outcomes for women throughout every stage of life.
Leading U.S. women’s health organizations have introduced the National Strategy to Close the Women’s Health Gap, a framework urging Congress to invest $20 billion over the next decade. The proposal outlines priorities for research, clinical care, workforce development, and health data to improve outcomes for women.
Key Takeaways
- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Society for Women’s Health Research, and the Women First Research Coalition released the national strategy.
- The framework calls for a $20 billion federal investment over 10 years.
- The proposal identifies five priority areas to strengthen women’s health research and care.
- The organizations said the strategy supports improvements in research, workforce development, and health data.
- Numerous medical societies and patient advocacy organizations have endorsed the framework.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), and the Women First Research Coalition (WFRC) announced the new strategy in Washington, D.C., presenting a long-term framework intended to strengthen women’s health research and expand access to evidence-based care. The organizations said the proposal provides Congress with a roadmap for coordinated investment across research, healthcare delivery, workforce development, and public education.
The framework requests a federal investment of $20 billion over a 10-year period. According to the organizations, the proposed funding would support research initiatives, healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, and national coordination across agencies involved in women’s health. The announcement aligns with other efforts to expand women’s health research initiatives that focus on advancing scientific discovery and improving patient care.
National Strategy to Close the Women’s Health Gap Is Released
The organizations introduced the National Strategy to Close the Women’s Health Gap as a comprehensive framework designed to address longstanding gaps in women’s health research and medical care. The proposal states that women continue to experience disparities in research participation, diagnosis, treatment, and access to evidence-based healthcare despite representing more than half of the U.S. population.
The organizations pointed to the National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993, which required the inclusion of women in NIH-funded clinical research, as an important milestone. They stated that additional work remains to ensure research findings are consistently translated into clinical practice and that women benefit from medical innovation throughout different stages of life.
Kathryn Schubert, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Society for Women’s Health Research, stated that the strategy provides Congress with a roadmap intended to improve health outcomes while supporting scientific innovation and future medical research.
The coalition said coordinated federal action would help strengthen research systems while improving access to evidence-based healthcare across diverse patient populations.
Coalition Calls for $20 Billion Federal Investment
The proposal recommends a sustained federal investment totaling $20 billion over the next decade. According to the framework, the funding would support research initiatives, healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, and national coordination across agencies involved in women’s health.
The organizations said additional investment would expand research examining conditions that affect women throughout adolescence, reproductive years, menopause, and older adulthood. The proposal complements ongoing work to improve specialized care, including comprehensive PCOS and fertility care for women facing reproductive health challenges.
The proposal also recommends establishing a national network of Women’s Health Centers of Excellence. According to the organizations, these centers would support research collaboration, clinical care, education, and innovation focused on women’s health.
The framework further recommends improving coordination among federal agencies responsible for research, regulation, and healthcare policy. The organizations said this approach could strengthen collaboration and improve the translation of research findings into patient care.
Five Priority Areas Shape the Proposed Framework
Research and Innovation
Research and innovation form the first priority outlined in the strategy. The organizations recommend expanding federal investment in women’s health research while supporting collaborative research centers dedicated to improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention.
The proposal states that increased research funding could help generate additional scientific evidence supporting healthcare decisions across multiple medical specialties affecting women.
Data and Evidence Infrastructure
The framework recommends strengthening the collection, sharing, and analysis of women’s health data. According to the organizations, improved data infrastructure would support researchers, healthcare providers, and policymakers by providing more comprehensive evidence to guide medical care and future studies.
The strategy also recommends improving coordination among research institutions to encourage broader access to reliable health information.
Clinical Workforce Development
The organizations identified workforce development as another central component of the proposal. The framework recommends expanding professional training opportunities, mentorship programs, and loan repayment initiatives that support clinicians and researchers specializing in women’s health.
Sandra E. Brooks, MD, MBA, FACOG, Chief Executive Officer of ACOG, stated that strengthening both the research workforce and the clinical workforce is essential to advancing innovation and improving patient care.
The organizations said investments in workforce development could help increase the number of professionals conducting women’s health research while expanding access to specialized care.
Public Awareness and Education
The strategy also recommends increasing public education and health literacy through initiatives that encourage preventive care and participation in women’s health research.
According to the organizations, improving awareness of available healthcare resources and research opportunities may help strengthen patient engagement while supporting future scientific studies.
Public education is presented as an important component alongside research, workforce investment, and healthcare delivery within the overall framework.
Medical Organizations Endorse the Women’s Health Initiative
National Medical Societies
The framework has received endorsements from numerous national medical organizations representing obstetrics, gynecology, reproductive medicine, maternal-fetal medicine, endocrinology, cardiology, autoimmune diseases, osteoporosis, menopause, and other healthcare specialties.
Supporting organizations include the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology, the Society of Family Planning, the Endocrine Society, the American Heart Association, and several additional professional organizations involved in women’s healthcare and medical research. The proposal also reflects continued attention to women’s health needs across different life stages, including healthy aging research priorities that examine long-term health outcomes.
The coalition said these endorsements demonstrate broad support across medical specialties for expanding research and improving clinical care focused on women’s health.
Patient Advocacy Organizations
Patient advocacy organizations have also endorsed the strategy. The list includes groups representing individuals affected by Alzheimer’s disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, psoriasis, rare diseases, osteoporosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, uterine fibroids, menopause, and maternal health.
Organizations including the Arthritis Foundation, March of Dimes, HealthyWomen, Black Women’s Health Imperative, National Menopause Foundation, Lupus Foundation of America, National MS Society, EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases, WomenHeart, and several others joined the coalition supporting the proposal.
The organizations said collaboration among medical societies, advocacy groups, and research organizations is intended to strengthen efforts to improve women’s health through coordinated national action.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the National Strategy to Close the Women’s Health Gap?
It is a framework introduced by leading U.S. women’s health organizations that calls for a coordinated federal investment to strengthen women’s health research, clinical care, workforce development, and health data infrastructure.
Which organizations introduced the women’s health strategy?
The strategy was released by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), the Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR), and the Women First Research Coalition (WFRC).
What funding does the strategy propose?
The framework calls on Congress to invest $20 billion over a 10-year period to support research, healthcare infrastructure, workforce development, and related initiatives focused on women’s health.
What are the five priorities outlined in the framework?
The proposal focuses on research and innovation, regulatory coordination and modernization, data and evidence infrastructure, clinical and research workforce development, and public awareness and education.
Which organizations have endorsed the national strategy?
The framework has received endorsements from numerous national medical societies and patient advocacy organizations, including groups representing reproductive medicine, maternal health, cardiovascular health, autoimmune diseases, menopause, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and other areas of women’s health.
