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NIH focusing on women’s health research, says Bhattacharya
The focus on women’s health comes amid growing scrutiny of how sex-based differences are addressed in biomedical research.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 27, Mar 2026
- 17:00 EDT
- 18
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U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya testifies before a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on U.S. President Donald Trump's budget request for the NIH, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 10, 2025. / REUTERS/Kent Nishimura
National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya on March 27 said women’s health will be a central focus of the agency’s research priorities as part of the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” agenda.
In a post on X, Bhattacharya, the 18th NIH director, said death rates among women from heart disease are higher than among men and called for a “renewed focus” on establishing a “true gold standard” for women’s health research.
Also Read: Trump delays naming new CDC head, Bhattacharya will still oversee agency
“A huge part of MAHA involves helping American women live healthier lives,” he wrote while acknowledging that the NIH had historically “not done such a great job focusing on women’s health issues. ” However he noted that its research portfolio in the area had expanded over the past two decades.
#DYK: Death rates among women stemming from heart disease are higher than those of men.
— Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD (@NIHDirector_Jay) March 26, 2026
A huge part of MAHA involves helping American women live healthier lives. Meeting that challenge in the days ahead will require a renewed focus on establishing a true gold standard for… pic.twitter.com/v5wL7Hlk43
The remarks come amid a broader federal push in recent years to elevate women’s health research, an area long criticized for gaps in funding, representation, and clinical attention.
In 2024, the Biden administration launched a White House initiative aimed at advancing women’s health research and innovation, while the NIH separately announced a $200 million investment in interdisciplinary women’s health research.
The NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health has also outlined priorities for 2024–2028, including improving data systems, advancing research on sex-based biological differences, and addressing conditions that disproportionately or differently affect women.
Bhattacharya’s emphasis on heart disease rates highlights one of the most documented gaps in women’s health research. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among women in the United States, but women have historically been underrepresented in cardiovascular clinical trials, limiting the evidence base for diagnosis and treatment.
The issue has also drawn scrutiny from the scientific community. A 2024 report by the National Academies called for stronger coordination across NIH, more investment in women’s health research, and greater support for the women’s health research workforce.
Bhattacharya, who took office as NIH director in April 2025 after being confirmed by the Senate, has in recent months tied the agency’s broader mission to chronic disease prevention and biomedical modernization.
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