President Trump has signed an executive order establishing a new women’s health division at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), launching a federal initiative aimed at improving medical research, diagnosis, and treatment for conditions affecting millions of American women.
The order, signed Monday alongside First Lady Melania Trump, directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish the division within 90 days. It also creates a White House Women’s Health Task Force to coordinate federal efforts addressing women’s health throughout every stage of life, from adolescence and reproductive health to menopause and aging.
The new NIH division will focus on conditions that uniquely or disproportionately affect women, including heart disease, cancer, autoimmune disorders, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infertility, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, and chronic pain. The initiative also seeks to improve women’s participation in clinical trials and accelerate the development of more effective diagnostic tools and treatments.
The task force will be co-chaired by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. The new division will work alongside the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, which has operated since 1990. First Lady Melania Trump played a prominent role in advancing the initiative, emphasizing medical innovation, affordable treatments, and greater attention to women’s health needs.
Although the order outlines broad research and healthcare priorities, it does not establish a specific new funding amount. It also revokes a 2024 executive order and a 2023 presidential memorandum issued under former President Joe Biden to advance women’s health research. The initiative’s impact will depend on federal funding, implementation, and how quickly new research findings can be translated into medical care.
