- Sep 28, 2023: Celebrating Milestones at ORWH and in Women's HealthThis September marks the 33rd anniversary of the formation of the NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH). Congress created ORWH in response to concerns regarding the lack of systemic and consistent inclusion of women in NIH-supported clinical research. Today, ORWH serves as the focal point for women's health research at NIH.
- Jun 27, 2023: Reflecting on Past Accomplishments to Make History Moving Forward: The NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 and the New Office of Autoimmune Disease ResearchAs we head into the summer, ORWH is celebrating two important milestones: the 30th anniversary of the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 and the launch of the Office of Autoimmune Disease Research (OADR-ORWH).
- May 15, 2023: Expanding Menopause Research to Advance the Health of All WomenThe Director's message discusses the upcoming 7th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium titled "Menopause and Optimizing Midlife Health of Women." It also discusses menopause and menopause research. Menopause is defined as a natural and irreversible life course stage marked by the cessation of menstrual cycling for 12 consecutive months. Common symptoms associated with menopause include hot flashes, sleep disturbances, mood changes, headaches, and heart palpitations.
- Apr 12, 2023: Addressing Inequities to IMPROVE Maternal Health for AllThe Director's message is a joint blog featuring Drs. Diana W. Bianchi, Janine A. Clayton, and Shannon N. Zenk as they discuss inequities to improve maternal health.
- Mar 10, 2023: NIH Symposium Launches OAR-ORWH Partnership to Advance Research on HIV and Women Across the Lifespan The Director's Message features Drs. Maureen Goodenow and Janine A. Clayton as they discuss a new collaboration between OAR and ORWH. This collaboration is crucial to enhance research at the intersection of HIV and women. NIH policies, resources for investigators, and targeted research funding continue to work together to help ensure that every woman or girl with or affected by HIV benefits from the best research.
- Feb 27, 2023: Celebrating Progress and Carrying the Torch: Black History, Heart Health, and Trailblazing Women in STEMMFebruary may be the shortest month of the year, but it brings no shortage of opportunities to celebrate achievement and progress—and to strengthen resolve advance equity. This month, we observe Black History Month and American Heart Month, as well as National Black Women Physicians Day, National Women Physicians Day, and the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
- Jan 31, 2023: Building on Our Accomplishments in 2022 to Continue Promoting Women’s Health in 2023Throughout 2022, ORWH and its partners continued to rally to advance the health of women and careers of women in biomedical fields. Although there were some notable challenges along the way, I am proud of what we accomplished and look forward to building on the momentum gained last year. I would like to thank all ORWH staff members, our NIH colleagues, and all our partners beyond NIH for their tireless efforts and dedication to improving the health of women.
- Nov 30, 2022: Improving Women’s Health: An Integral Component to Advancing Population HealthNovember observances provide significant reminders of enduring health disparities that we must address together to improve the health of all people. Caring for those who provide care to others is a thoughtful way to express gratitude in November. Women play essential roles in society as professionals, leaders, and decision-makers, as well as mothers, providers, and caregivers. Women’s health and well-being are central to the health and well-being of society.
- Oct 17, 2022: The Multifront Fight Against Breast Cancer: Research to Advance Innovative Screening and Treatment and Confront Health Disparities October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the Director's message focuses on breast cancer research and confronting health disparities.
- Aug 23, 2022: Gender as a Social and Cultural Variable and HealthThe Director's Message features Drs. Elizabeth Barr and Sarah Temkin as they discuss gender as a social and cultural variable and health. Consideration of sex and gender in research is critical to advancing the NIH mission of seeking knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.
- Aug 08, 2022: The Far-Reaching Effects of Promoting and Maintaining Healthy VisionThe Director's message acknowledges the health observances, National Eye Exam Month, National Immunization Awareness Month, and National Breastfeeding Month. In her discussion, Dr. Clayton discusses ways to maintain healthy vision, the importance of immunizations, and resources that support breastfeeding.
- Jun 29, 2022: Reimagining Career Paths, an Opportunity for Disruptive Change, and Supporting Reentry and Reintegration into ResearchThe Director's message discussed some key highlights of the 6th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium in May 2022, including an overview of the Director's presentation using the braided river metaphor, and a summary of the Keynote Speech. In addition, the message discusses the NIH Supplements for Reentry and Reintegration into Careers Programs that support women in biomedical careers.
- May 24, 2022: Supporting Women So They Can Live Healthy Lives from Head to ToeAlthough it’s important to focus on living a physically and mentally healthy life year-round, the observances in May serve as excellent reminders to take care of ourselves.
- Apr 27, 2022: Tackling the Complexity of Pregnancy through Research Inclusion and Equity: We Need a New PlaybookA thoughtful discussion on opportunities to make significant changes to protect mothers in underserved groups and their children, as we reflect on National Minority Health Month.
- Mar 29, 2022: Recognizing the Women in Science Making History: Yesterday, Today, and TomorrowThis Women's History Month, we particularly honor women "Providing Healing, Promoting Hope," which is this year's theme.
- Feb 25, 2022: We Have an Opportunity to Improve Heart Health for Black WomenDid you know that American Heart Month was established in 1963 and Black History Month began soon after, in 1970? Coincidentally, they share the month of February.
- Jan 27, 2022: Mentoring as an Important Force for the Future of Women in ScienceAs we welcome the new year, it seems fitting that the first month of the year is also the month in which we recognize National Mentoring Month.
- Dec 08, 2021: A Big Boost to Federal Efforts to Reduce and Prevent Maternal Morbidity and MortalityOn December 7, the White House Maternal Health Call to Action Summit demonstrated the Biden–Harris administration’s commitment to improving maternal health and reducing health disparities.
- Nov 04, 2021: Thank You, Dr. Francis Collins: Daring to Dream and Achieve to Improve Science and LivesI will always remember the day when I saw my boss, the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)—the world’s largest biomedical research institution—riding a motorcycle around NIH’s campus.
- Oct 07, 2021: NIH Takes a Life Course Approach to Researching and Promoting Healthy Aging in WomenThe Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women’s Health Research presents a multidimensional framework of biological, social, and environmental factors that influence a woman’s health. The intersection and interaction of these factors over the entire course of a woman’s life is central to this multidimensional model and to ensuring healthier aging among women.
- Sep 08, 2021: Learn from Exemplars of Progress at an NIH ForumCurrently, in the United States, women enter graduate studies in the life sciences and medicine at about the same rate as men—yet women are underrepresented at the faculty level in biomedical sciences in academia and in medical schools.
- Jun 01, 2021: 40 Years of Progress and Persistent Challenges in HIV/AIDS: We Need to Do More for WomenSo much has changed in the 40 years since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s first Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report article on what is now known as HIV.
- May 03, 2021: A Path for Better Science and InnovationORWH looks forward to hosting the virtual 5th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium, which will be presented by NIH and the Foundation for the NIH on May 11 and 12.
- Apr 05, 2021: A Roadmap to Improve Maternal Health in the United StatesThe wealthiest nation in the world is also the most dangerous place in the industrialized world to be pregnant, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
- Mar 01, 2021: Exceptional Individuals and Strong Collaborations Drive Advances in Women’s HealthAs we take time this Women's History Month to celebrate the inspiring contributions of women who helped shape the world, I think of the many scientists, advocates, and policymakers who helped improve the lives of millions through advances in women’s health research.
- Feb 01, 2021: Annual Reminder: You Have One Heart. Take Care of ItFebruary is American Heart Month! And during February, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) sponsors The Heart Truth®, its annual national campaign to raise awareness of the leading cause of death among women and other vulnerable populations: heart disease.
- Jan 22, 2021: As the Study of Sex and Gender Expands, ORWH Expands Its Online Educational CoursesJust 5 years ago today, on January 25—a day Congress later declared Women’s Health Research Day—the National Institutes of Health made history.
- Nov 30, 2020: Aim for 20/20 Vision in 2021The ORWH 30th Anniversary Virtual Meeting Series: Advancing the Health of Women Through Science
- Nov 17, 2020: ORWH’s Strategic Approach to COVID-19 ResponseSuccessful navigation of a public health emergency such as the COVID-19 pandemic requires short- and long-term strategies.
- Oct 14, 2020: Toward an Improved Vision for Maternal Health and Pregnancy OutcomesThe high rates of maternal morbidity and mortality (MMM) in the U.S. constitute a public health crisis, yet up to 60% of these deaths are preventable.
- Oct 08, 2020: Social Determinants of Health: Like Water to a FishAs everyone knows, fish live in water—with all its oxygen, nutrients, predators, and pollutants. That’s the environment in which fish thrive or languish. It affects their physiology, behavior, and survival. Similarly, society is our water, and the social determinants of health (SDOH) have a pervasive influence on us and our health—for good and bad, just as with fish.
- Sep 02, 2020: NIH Launches Challenge Prize to Help Address Gender Diversity and Equity Problems Faced by Faculty in Higher EducationI am pleased to announce that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Office of Research on Women’s Health has launched a new Challenge Prize competition to promote the advancement of women in leadership roles in higher education.
- Aug 04, 2020: Guest Blog—COVID-19 and Women’s HealthSince March 11 of this year, when the respiratory illness coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak was declared a pandemic, close to 700,000 people have died.
- Jun 11, 2020: How Sex and Gender Affect Health (And Why Knowing Matters)Medical schools are falling short. Despite the fact that women make up 50% of the population, schools’ curricula too often do not address how diseases and treatments affect women differently than men.
- Apr 27, 2020: Sleep’s an Important Part of the Health Equation—Now More than EverHere’s a wake-up call: Did you know that adults need about 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night for good physical and mental health?
- Apr 08, 2020: Black Maternal Health: Amplify the Conversation and ActBlack women die from pregnancy complications two to three times more than their White and Hispanic counterparts, according to a January 30, 2020, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) report containing the first national data on maternal deaths in the United States since 2007.
- Mar 04, 2020: We Need More History Makers: NIH and ORWH’s Plan to Create Them Women’s History Month celebrates the inspiring contributions of women who have shaped the world. From the arts to politics to science, women—despite many obstacles—have made the world a better place for everyone.
- Feb 11, 2020: Women’s Heart Health: The Heart of the MatterCardiovascular disease (CVD) is the most common cause of death among women, killing more women than all forms of cancer combined. However, in a 2005 study, a surprisingly high number of physicians were not aware of the extent of CVD risks for women.
- Jan 27, 2020: ORWH Celebrates 30th AnniversaryThis year is shaping up to be a momentous year for women’s health. For starters, ORWH celebrates its 30th anniversary—and with it NIH’s continued elevation of women’s health as “an integral part of the scientific fabric at NIH and throughout the scientific community.”
- Oct 01, 2019: Guest Blog—Intimate Partner Violence: Raising Awareness, Taking ActionImagine a crowded sidewalk. More than 1 in 4 of the women there—walking, talking, and going about their business—have experienced intimate partner violence (IPV) at some point in their lives. They may have experienced physical violence (e.g., slapping, hitting, and choking), sexual contact without consent, or stalking (repeated unwanted attention and contact that causes safety concerns) by current or former intimate partners.
- Sep 26, 2019: ORWH Contributes $1 Million to NIH HEAL Initiative to Evaluate Impact of Opioids on Human DevelopmentOne of our goals at the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH) is to help ensure that every woman receives—across her life course—evidence-based disease prevention and treatments tailored to her own needs, circumstances, and goals.
- Sep 24, 2019: Research Shows Us How to Address Underrepresentation of Women in Academic Medicine; Now Let’s Finish the JobThe academic medicine talent pool, long recognized as a vital component of that engine, is operating without a full complement of cylinders, creating an untold number of missed opportunities that the Nation cannot afford. What do I mean? Not everyone who is talented and desires a career in biomedical research is included, welcomed, and supported. I’m talking about women—and women of color especially.
- Jul 17, 2019: A Game-Changing Pledge to Bring Greater Diversity to Scientific PanelsWorking at NIH, I often see the amazing advancements and achievements made by the biomedical research enterprise. One recent important advance is not a scientific finding or new technology, but a strong stand on principle made by NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins. In his announcement, Time to End the Manel Tradition, Dr. Collins pledged to speak only at scientific events “where scientists of all backgrounds are evaluated fairly for speaking opportunities,” which will result in inclusive agendas for the meetings.
- Jul 11, 2019: July Is National Dry Eye Awareness MonthDr. Clayton Answers Questions About This Common Eye Condition. Are your eyes often irritated—as if dust or sand were in them? Do your eyes sting or burn? Are they sensitive to light? Has driving at night or wearing contact lenses become more difficult? If so, you may have dry eye disease.
- May 07, 2019: National Women’s Health Week/Strategic PlanThe NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health has joined the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health (OWH) to observe the 20th anniversary of National Women’s Health Week (NWHW), May 12–18.
- Aug 22, 2018: Epigenetics and the Health of Future GenerationsWe typically learn in school how parents pass along their genes to their children, and how those genes can influence their children’s characteristics. Statements like — "She has her mother’s eyes" and "He has his father’s dimples" — are not uncommon...
- May 15, 2018: National Women’s Health Week: A Reminder that Putting Yourself First Doesn’t Mean Putting Others LastNational Women's Health Week is a time when we shine a national spotlight on the health of women and encourage women to make their own health a priority...
- Mar 20, 2018: Celebrating Women’s History MonthDuring March, we celebrate Women's History Month to recognize the extraordinary achievements of women. At the Office of Research on Women's Health, we are acknowledging the contributions of women scientists and clinicians...
- Feb 26, 2018: Celebrating American Heart MonthCelebrating American Heart Month
- Jan 25, 2018: Celebrating National Mentoring MonthDr. Clayton discuss the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Research on Women’s Health
- Nov 03, 2017: Make Your Voice Heard: The NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Research on Women’s HealthDr. Clayton discusses the NIH-Wide Strategic Plan for Research on Women’s Health.
- Oct 06, 2017: Women in Medicine Month: NIH Leaders (Blog 3 of 3)Dr. Clayton highlights NIH Leaders
- Sep 28, 2017: Women in Medicine Month: Distinguished Deans (Blog 2 of 3)Dr. Clayton highlights distinguished deans at medical schools
- Sep 15, 2017: Women in Medicine Month: Taking Stock (Blog 1 of 3)Dr. Clayton discusses women in science
- Mar 22, 2017: One Year Into the NIH SABV Policy, Sex and Gender in Science Gain SteamDr. Clayton discusses growing interest in potential role of sex and gender in health and science.
- Feb 14, 2017: We Need All Hands on Deck for Women's Heart HealthDr. Clayton discusses the importance of women's heart health.
- Nov 16, 2016: Into Our 26th Year, Confident and CommittedDr. Clayton discusses the 26th year.
- Oct 28, 2016: NCI Launches a Landmark Study on Breast Cancer in African-American WomenDr. Clayton interviews Dr. Damali Martin about NCI's Breast Cancer Genetic Study in African-Ancestry Populations.
- Oct 21, 2016: Domestic Violence Awareness: A Task for Everybody, EverywhereDr. Clayton discusses the domestic violence problem and NIH's research on violence against women.
- Oct 13, 2016: An ORWH Concern: Women’s Health Around the WorldDr. Clayton discusses why global health is an important part of ORWH's work.
- Sep 29, 2016: Meeting the Challenge of Sickle Cell DiseaseFor National Sickle Cell Awareness Month, Dr. Clayton discusses the disease and efforts to address it taking place across NIH.
- Jun 03, 2016: Using Science to Achieve Workforce DiversityDr. Clayton discusses the investments that NIH and others have been making to investigate why women are underrepresented in the scientific workforce.
- May 06, 2016: Women’s Health Research: 25 Years of Progress (and Counting)In commemoration of National Women's Health Week, Dr. Clayton reflects on the contributions of champions who helped establish the field of women's health research.
- Apr 25, 2016: Minority Health: A Milestone on the Road to Precision MedicineORWH, NIH, and FDA offer resources to help investigators recruit the most diverse populations for their clinical studies.
- Mar 01, 2016: American Heart Month: A Time to ReflectHeart disease research highlights the importance of investigating sex differences. Given the value of covering health differences between men and women in medical curricula, ORWH offers courses on sex and gender for continuing medical education credit.
- Feb 01, 2016: Sex as a Biological Variable: A Step Toward Stronger Science, Better HealthORWH announces new criteria for evaluating grants on how they factor sex as a biological variable into research designs, analyses, and reporting in vertebrate animal and human studies.
- Oct 31, 2015: Happy 25th Birthday, ORWH!In celebration of ORWH's 25th anniversary, 200 people gathered for a special hearing on Capitol Hill. Dr. Clayton reflects on the office's founding and its future outlook.
- Sep 04, 2015: Keeping Scientists in Science: NIH Re-Issues Re-Entry Supplements Funding OpportunityAn NIH-wide program provides up to 3 years of funding for candidates with a doctoral degree who left active research and want to return. Eighty-one percent of participants have secured a scientific research position.
- Aug 11, 2015: Summer Science Sizzles!New research findings on the prevalence of multiple sclerosis in men versus women, how pain signals are relayed, and the effect of smoking on brain activity illustrate how sex influences brain biology.
- Jun 09, 2015: Considering Sex as a Biological Variable: In the NIH GuideA notice this week announces momentum toward new instructions for applicants on enhancing reproducibility through rigor and transparency by addressing sex as a biological variable.
- May 20, 2015: Listening to Our Stakeholders On Considering Sex as a Biological VariableDr. Clayton and NIH Deputy Director for Extramural Research Sally J. Rockey, Ph.D., give an update on planning for a new policy on sex as a biological variable in preclinical research.
- Mar 09, 2015: Toward More Individualized Medicine: Introducing the Women of Color Health Data Book, Fourth EditionThis post introduces the fourth edition of the Women of Color Health Data Book, a compilation of data on race/ethnicity and disease with relevant discussions of various factors that affect the health status of women of color.
- Nov 07, 2014: Back to Basics: New Publishing Guidelines to Enhance Reproducibility and RelevanceThis week, Science and Nature report on new principles and guidelines in reporting preclinical research that were developed at a meeting organized in conjunction with NIH.
- Sep 23, 2014: Stepping Stones to the FutureDr. Clayton; James Anderson, M.D., Ph.D.; and Elizabeth Wilder, Ph.D., announce $10 million in administrative supplement grants so that a sex/gender lens can be added to currently funded research projects.
- Sep 11, 2014: A Conversation Worth HavingNIH releases a Request for Information seeking input from the research community and others on key questions about the consideration of sex in NIH-funded studies.
- Jun 27, 2014: Answering Questions on Considering Males and Females in Preclinical ResearchA Q & A guide is now available to answer questions about new NIH policies being developed to expand the consideration of sex in biomedical research with animals and cells.
- Jun 23, 2014: Women Can Soar in STEMAn update from the White House Summit on Working Families highlights findings from NIH-funded research examining why women may not progress to their full potential in the scientific workplace.
- May 14, 2014: Questions Worth Asking of Science on Mother’s Day — and Every DayHighlighted on the occasion of National Women's Health Week, the Women's Health Research in Review slideshow catalogues advancements in women's health in recent decades.
- May 14, 2014: Filling the Gaps: NIH to Enact New Policies to Address Sex DifferencesNature publishes an announcement from NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. Clayton about a plan requiring grant applicants to address sex-based considerations and analyses in preclinical research.
- Mar 31, 2014: Science Gets a Second ChanceResearch grant supplements issued through a new ORWH program are giving scientists the opportunity to strengthen their research by adding a sex/gender lens to their currently funded research.
- Feb 14, 2014: Sex Is in the News… And It MattersCBS' 60 Minutes and the Huffington Post take up the topic of sex differences in disease and responses to medication, shining a light on the importance of women's health research.
- Jan 01, 2014: The Three Rs of Good ScienceRigor, reproducibility, and relevance drive good science, and ORWH is shining a light on one area where research sometimes comes up short: accounting for differences between males and females.
- Jun 01, 2013: Smoking: It's Never too Late to Quit But Women May Find It's HarderSmoking affects women and men differently, and these differences influence the ability to quit. Research on sex differences in health is advancing understanding of aspects such as differing responses to nicotine.
- May 01, 2013: Focus on May: Healthy Vision MonthTwo-thirds of people worldwide who are visually impaired or blind are female. This National Women's Health Week, learn more about differences between men and women in eye health.
- Apr 01, 2013: Better Health for All Americans – April is Minority Health MonthEthnicity and race play a significant role in the nation's health. As part of its efforts to support the best research toward improving the health of all Americans, ORWH and other institutes make science-based health information available to women of color.
- Mar 01, 2013: Blazing Trails – March is Women’s History MonthToday, NIH-funded research digs deeper to explain why women and men have different health needs, thanks to the efforts of the first woman director of an NIH Institute, the first woman director of NIH, and female lawmakers on Capitol Hill.
- Feb 15, 2013: Studying Sex Differences Provides New Insights into DiseaseORWH advances priorities for research on women's health and sex and gender differences laid out in the NIH Strategic Plan for Women's Health Research. Pursuing these priorities has resulted in progress toward understanding how men's and women's health differs.
- Feb 01, 2013: Women’s Hearts Truly Are Unique: Celebrate Your Heart This February, National Heart Health Awareness MonthResearchers are looking into many aspects of heart disease that are unique in women at the level of cells, structures such as blood vessels, and behavior.
- Jan 15, 2013: Snapshot of Women’s Health in AmericaA new report documents a gap between the health of Americans and that of their peers in other high-income nations, with American women ranking near the bottom. What can be done?
- Jan 01, 2013: Playing in the Sandbox: Advancing Women in ScienceThere has been substantial progress on providing opportunities and support for women in the scientific workforce, but it is equally important to find ways to accelerate change. There is still much to do.