On Monday, the White House released a new Executive Order focused on advancing women’s health research and innovation, The Order, heralded by First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, seeks to close research gaps in women’s health, improve coordination and data standards within clinical research, and maximize the United States’ ability to care for women. To this end, the White House has created a new advisory body, the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, to be comprised of major federal agency leaders.

• Within 30 days, the NIH’s Office of Research and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) must establish and co-chair a working group to promote alignment and consistency across standards for women’s health research.
• Within 90 days, HHS must launch comprehensive assessments and evaluations on issues impacting women’s midlife health, with special focus on menopause-related care.
• Within 90 days, the new Initiative will require reports from the Secretaries of Defense, Agriculture, HHS, and Veterans Affairs alongside the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Director of the National Science Foundation on actions taken to strengthen research and enhance the study and analysis of women’s health. Within 180 days, and every year thereafter, agencies will report to the President on their status on implementing research and data standards relating to women’s health.