WASHINGTON, DC — President Donald Trump signed an executive order today, October 19, establishing a new women’s health division within the National Institutes of Health and a White House task force while rescinding two Biden-era initiatives, restructuring federal oversight of research and efforts to translate medical discoveries into clinical care.
The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services to establish the NIH Women’s Health Division within 90 days. The division will coordinate research, strengthen scientific review, and promote the adoption of findings in medical practice.
The directive also revokes Executive Order 14120, signed by former President Joe Biden on March 18, 2024, and a November 13, 2023, presidential memorandum establishing the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research.
The Trump administration characterized the changes as an effort to move beyond research coordination and place greater emphasis on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and the practical application of scientific discoveries.
The new NIH division will work with the existing Office of Research on Women’s Health rather than replace it.
Its responsibilities include coordinating studies of conditions affecting women throughout their lives, supporting replication research, improving clinical trial participation and strengthening accountability for federal research grants.
The order specifically directs the division to improve compliance with NIH requirements that research account for sex as a biological variable.
Federal research priorities identified in the directive include cardiovascular disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, endometriosis, infertility, maternal health and menopause.
The administration also established a White House Women’s Health Task Force, co-chaired by the HHS secretary and White House chief of staff.
Its membership includes senior officials from the NIH, Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Veterans Affairs and other federal agencies.
The task force is charged with identifying policy and regulatory changes that could improve prevention, early diagnosis and treatment while encouraging greater coordination among healthcare providers and government programs.
Its responsibilities also include evaluating potential pilot programs, promoting research-based clinical practices and consulting with state and local governments, healthcare organizations, academic institutions and private-sector partners.
The directive places particular emphasis on adapting medical care to different stages of life, from childhood and adolescence through pregnancy, menopause and aging.
First Lady Melania Trump, who helped lead the initiative, outlined five priorities for the administration’s approach, including research into diseases uniquely affecting women, the use of advanced artificial intelligence in medical discovery, and faster development of treatments.
She also called for improving affordability and access to medical advances and expanding public education about women’s health.
“Previous generations fought for women’s rights. Our generation will fight to discover the cures that will ensure a woman can live her life in health and to the fullest,” the first lady said in remarks prepared for delivery at the White House.
Her proposals include using what she described as “super intelligence” to improve understanding of female biology and accelerate scientific research.
The executive order does not establish a specific new research appropriation. Its implementation is subject to existing law and the availability of congressional funding, while HHS is directed to cover the task force’s administrative costs.
The White House said the task force would begin its work today, with an initial session involving federal officials and participants in the women’s health initiative.
The administration also linked the directive to its broader healthcare policies, including changes involving menopause treatments, maternal health programs and prescription drug pricing.
In its accompanying fact sheet, the White House cited pharmaceutical pricing agreements that it estimates could save Americans $600 billion over a decade, along with reported savings through TrumpRx.gov. Those figures are administration estimates and claims, not funding commitments or projected savings attributable to the new executive order.
The immediate effect of today’s action is organizational: federal agencies must establish the new research division and coordinate policy through the task force. Changes to clinical practices, treatment availability, and patient outcomes will depend on subsequent research, agency decisions, and implementation.
Support the local news that supports Chester County. MyChesCo delivers reliable, fact-based reporting and essential community resources—free for everyone. If you value that, click here to become a patron today.