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Office of Research on Women's Health

Putting science to work for the health of women

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    Women's Health Research

    Women's health research is an essential part of the NIH research agenda. The field includes the study of health throughout the lifespan and across the spectrum of scientific investigations.

    • What Is Women's Health Research?
    • Funded Research and Programs
      • Administrative Supplements (Sex and Gender)
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      • Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH)
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      • NIH Inclusion Policies
      • Women of Color Health Information Collection
    • Resources
      • Legacy of Better Science, Better Health for Women Presentation
      • Women's Health Research Slideshow
      • More Information on Women's Health
      • Raising the Bar: Improving the Health of Women in the United States
      • Intimate Partner Violence, Screening, and Counseling Research Symposium Report
      • NIH Inclusion Outreach Toolkit: How to Engage, Recruit, and Retain Women in Clinical Research
      • Polycystic Ovary/Ovarian Syndrome Booklet
  • Sex & Gender
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    Sex & Gender

    Sex/gender influence health and disease, and considering these factors in research informs the development of prevention strategies and treatment interventions for both women and men.

    • NIH Policy on Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV)
      • ORWH GWAS, Sex, and Chromosomes Think Tank
      • Questions and Answers
    • Sex/Gender Influences in Health and Disease
      • How Sex/Gender Influence Health and Disease (A-Z)
      • Infographic: How Sex/Gender Influence Health & Disease
      • Specialized Centers of Research Excellence (SCORE) on Sex Differences
      • Administrative Supplements for Research on Sex/Gender Differences
      • Sex/Gender in Health, Disease, and Biomedical Research
    • Methods and Techniques for Integrating Sex into Research
    • Reading Room: News and Journal Articles about Studying Sex/Gender
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      • Research Spotlight: Dr. Marilyn Carroll
      • Research Spotlight: Dr. Nancy Lane
      • Research Spotlight: Dr. Nancy Nadon
    • Women, Science, and the Impact of COVID-19
  • In the Spotlight
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    In the Spotlight

    Women’s health research and efforts to advance the careers of women in biomedicine are being performed across the NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices, as well as in other agencies within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the private sector. This section of the ORWH website highlights some of these efforts, which are currently having, or have the potential to have, a substantial impact on the health of women and the advancement of women in the biomedical field.

    • Top Stories
      • NCCIH Will Host Workshop on Whole Person Research, September 29 and 30
      • ORWH Hosts Forum to Recognize Winning Institutions of the Faculty Gender Diversity Competition
      • New Funding Opportunity Supports Women’s Health Research in States with Lower NIH Funding
      • ORWH and ACRWH Will Host Conference on Contemporary Concerns About Women’s Health
      • NIH Announces Funding Opportunities to Promote Research on Osteoporosis
      • ORWH Hosts U3 Webinar on Gender Disparities in HIV Research and Care, August 19
    • All Articles
  • Science Policy
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    Science Policy

    The NIH Sex as a Biological Variable and Inclusion policies help to ensure that women and female biology in general are factored into every stage of research.

    • NIH Inclusion Policies
      • Common Definitions in NIH Inclusion Policies
      • Including Women and Minorities in Clinical Research Background
    • NIH Policy on Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV)
      • Questions & Answers
  • Career Development & Education
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    Career Development & Education

    ORWH develops and supports opportunities to recruit, retain, and advance women in biomedical careers, and programs that support both women and men in women's health and sex differences research careers.

    • Mentored Career Development
      • Career Development & Mentoring Resources
    • Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women's Health (BIRCWH)
      • Funded Programs and Principal Investigators
    • Re-Entry into Biomedical Research Careers
    • NIH Working Group on Women in Biomedical Careers
      • Women of Color Research Network
      • Research on Causal Factors and Interventions that Promote and Support Women in Biomedical Careers
    • Women of Color Research Network
    • Ending Structural Racism
    • E-Learning
      • Bench to Bedside: Integrating Sex and Gender to Improve Human Health Course
      • Sex as a Biological Variable: A Primer
      • SABV Primer Supplement
      • Introduction: Sex- and Gender-Related Differences in Health
    • Research Continuity Supplements
    • Prize Competition for Enhancing Faculty Gender Diversity
    • Videocasts & Webinars
    • Educational Resources
  • About
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    About

    ORWH is the first Public Health Service office dedicated specifically to promoting women's health research within and beyond the NIH scientific community.

    • Mission & History
      • Federal Partners Involved in Clinical Trials Initiative
      • Legislative Mandate
      • ORWH 30th Anniversary
    • Advisory Committees
      • Advisory Committee on Research on Women's Health
      • Coordinating Committee on Research on Women's Health
    • Trans-NIH Strategic Plan for Women's Health Research
      • Advancing Science for the Health of Women: 2019-2023
      • A Vision for 2020 for Women's Health Research
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    NIH Institutes & HHS Agencies

    ORWH works in partnership with NIH Institutes, Centers, and Offices (ICOs), as well as other agencies and offices within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, to advance the health of women. ORWH highlights the work of  these organizations in improving women’s health and serves as the focal point for women's health research at the NIH.

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Science Policy

The NIH Sex as a Biological Variable and Inclusion policies help to ensure that women and female biology in general are factored into every stage of research.

  NIH Policy on Sex as a Biological Variable
(SABV)   NIH Inclusion
Policies  

Science Policy

  • Science Policy
    • NIH Inclusion Policies
      • Common Definitions in NIH Inclusion Policies
      • Including Women and Minorities in Clinical Research Background
    • NIH Policy on Sex as a Biological Variable (SABV)
      • Questions & Answers

Director’s Messages

  • Thank You, Dr. Francis Collins: Daring to Dream and Achieve to Improve Science and Lives

    November 4, 2021

  • NIH Takes a Life Course Approach to Researching and Promoting Healthy Aging in Women

    October 7, 2021

  • Learn from Exemplars of Progress at an NIH Forum

    September 8, 2021

  • 40 Years of Progress and Persistent Challenges in HIV/AIDS: We Need to Do More for Women

    June 1, 2021

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NIH Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH)

6707 Democracy Boulevard
Suite 400
Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone: 301-402-1770

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