Autoimmune diseases afflict between 23.5 million and 50 million Americans. Women, specifically, have an increased risk of developing an autoimmune disease because of factors such as genetic predisposition, environmental exposures, and hormone fluctuations.
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The 9th Annual Vivian W. Pinn Symposium occurred virtually on May 15, 2025, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. This annual ORWH signature event during National Women’s Health week honors the legacy of Vivian W.
NIH is committed to advancing women’s health through robust, transparent, and accountable scientific investment.
Women in midlife face unique health challenges—such as menopause, rising cardiovascular risk, and increased vulnerability to chronic disease—that have been historically under-researched. Supporting targeted studies in this area helps close that gap, ensuring women receive care that is informed by real data and evidence.
A new resource has been launched in the ORWH Resource Library titled NIH Fact Sheets on Women’s Health Research, which provides health and disease data on women.
Congratulations are in order! ORWH recently awarded two Science Policy Scholar Travel Awards to support the development of junior investigators focused on women’s health or sex differences who are also interested in research policy.
ORWH Medical Officer Balkissa Ouattara, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., represented ORWH at the University of Cincinnati’s Women's Health Equity Symposium December 5–6, 2024. The event aimed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration among researchers, clinicians, and community members while amplifying the voices of women who have been historically marginalized.
Historically, women’s health research has focused on reproductive health and female-specific conditions, but it has since expanded to encompass all aspects of the health of women. The newly released publication, Recent Developments in Women’s Health Research at the U.S. National Institutes of Health, reviews how the changes NIH has implemented have affirmed the importance of women’s health research through policies and programs that support rigor and the inclusion of women in biomedical research.