US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order establishing a new Women’s Health Division within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and creating a White House task force to coordinate federal efforts to improve women’s health outcomes throughout life.
The order, signed on October 19, 2026, directs the Department of Health and Human Services, through the NIH director, to establish the division within 90 days. It aims to strengthen research into conditions affecting women, improve access to evidence-based healthcare and accelerate the application of scientific discoveries in clinical practice.
The executive order was signed by Trump and First Lady Melania Trump under the title “Advancing Women’s Health to Improve Outcomes in all Phases of Life.”
In the order, Trump said that despite advances in biomedical science, several diseases and conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women had not received the same level of research, clinical attention and treatment as other conditions.
The document identifies cardiovascular disease, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, osteoporosis, mental health, chronic pain, endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, maternal health, menopause and neurological disorders among areas requiring further research.
“My Administration is committed to ensuring that American women are receiving the best scientifically-supported medical advice in the world.
“Therefore, it is the policy of the United States to prioritize translating research into improved clinical care that benefits women and girls through 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 timely, stage-specific prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care.”
Donald Trump
New NIH Division To Coordinate Research And Treatment
Under Section 2 of the order, the NIH is required to establish the Women’s Health Division within an appropriate institute or centre within 90 days, working alongside the agency’s Office of Research on Women’s Health.
The division will be responsible for advancing research into women’s health conditions that remain understudied or insufficiently understood, including conducting replication studies to strengthen scientific evidence.
It will also promote advanced research technologies intended to accelerate diagnosis and improve access to prevention, specialised healthcare services, personalised medicine and coordinated care.
Another priority is increasing the participation of women and girls in clinical trials and improving research methods for understanding sex-specific health outcomes.
The order also directs the division to strengthen accountability for grant recipients in complying with NIH policies requiring researchers to account for sex as a biological variable.
The division is further expected to support interdisciplinary collaboration and help translate scientific discoveries into clinical practice and public health programmes at federal, state and local levels.
These responsibilities are intended to bridge the gap between scientific research and the healthcare services available to women, ensuring that research findings inform prevention strategies, diagnosis and treatment.
White House Task Force To Coordinate Federal Action
The executive order also establishes the White House Women’s Health Task Force, co-chaired by the secretary of health and human services and the assistant to the president and chief of staff.
Its membership will include senior officials from several federal departments and agencies, including the departments of War, Agriculture, Labor, Education and Veterans Affairs.
The administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency, Commissioner of Food and Drugs, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIH director, Director of the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health and administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will also participate.
The Co-chairs may invite other administration officials and consult experts from healthcare, technology, academia, the private sector and philanthropy. The Department of Health and Human Services will fund the task force’s administrative costs.
Under Section 4, the task force will coordinate federal efforts to strengthen research, accelerate the adoption of evidence-based medical practices and improve prevention, early detection, diagnosis and treatment for women and girls.
It will also promote patient-centred care by encouraging better coordination between primary care, specialist services and behavioural health providers.
The order allows the task force to advise agency leaders on possible pilot programmes designed to improve incentives for preventive care and early intervention, while reducing divisions between agencies and healthcare systems where appropriate and consistent with applicable law.
The task force is also expected to consult state governments, tribal nations, local authorities, community-based and faith-based organisations, private businesses and philanthropic entities on translating research into practical healthcare solutions.
These partnerships are intended to encourage investment in women’s health, promote innovation and support the wider adoption of evidence-based interventions.
Trump Revokes Previous Women’s Health Directives
The new executive order revokes two previous actions: Executive Order 14120 of March 18, 2024, titled “Advancing Women’s Health Research and Innovation,” and a presidential memorandum issued on November 13, 2023, establishing the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research.
The order states that its implementation must comply with applicable law and remain subject to the availability of appropriated funds. It also clarifies that it does not create legally enforceable rights or benefits against the United States or its agencies.
The administration’s stated objective is to improve women’s health by strengthening scientific research, coordinating federal policies and ensuring that discoveries are translated into practical healthcare improvements across different stages of life.
