Women’s health groups pitch $20B ‘moonshot’ to Congress

What you probably already know: A coalition of women’s health organizations is calling on Congress to commit $20 billion over the next 10 years for a national strategy aimed at closing longstanding gaps in women’s health research, medical care, outcomes and public awareness. The proposal, called the National Strategy to Close the Women’s Health Gap, was unveiled July 15 by the American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, the Society for Women’s Health Research and the Women First Research Coalition. It is endorsed by more than 20 research organizations and professional medical and patient advocacy groups. The plan, described as the “women’s health moonshot,” notes that women have been understudied and underserved for decades.

Why it matters: The strategy recommends investment across five key priorities. The largest, $7 billion, is proposed for investment in women’s health research and innovation. It calls for increased funding across federal agencies, establishing a Women’s Health Research Interdisciplinary Fund and creating a national Women’s Health Centers of Excellence to help move research findings into clinical practice. It also calls for $7 billion to bolster the women’s health and research workforce, noting that it has “long suffered from a shortage of trained investigators, clinicians and specialists who focus on the diseases, conditions and biological factors that affect women uniquely or disproportionately.” Other proposed funding buckets involve increasing collaboration across agencies and public awareness campaigns.

What it means: The proposal notes that women spend 25% of their lives in poorer health than men and face higher annual out-of-pocket health care costs. It calls for assessing differences in health coverage between women and men, identifying gaps in Medicare coverage and a focus on health conditions that often begin in midlife. “The women’s health gas has persisted for far too long,” says Kathryn Schubert, Society for Women’s Health Research president and CEO. “This strategy offers Congress a roadmap to improve health outcomes, drive innovation and build a healthier future for women, families and communities.”

What happens next: It’s important to note that there’s no bill before Congress — not unusual, given that the proposal was just introduced last week. If lawmakers decide to act, a senator or representative must introduce one or more bills to implement all or part of the strategy. But women’s health has become a much bigger focus in recent years because of growing evidence in gender-based health disparities. “Because hormones influence nearly every aspect of women’s health, advancing research in this area has the potential to improve millions of lives,” Endocrine Society President Nanette Santoro, MD, says. “We are encouraged by this strategy’s emphasis on research, data and clinical care.”