Donald Trump signed an executive order on October 19 establishing a new division dedicated to women’s health at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The project, promoted by Melania Trump, aims to expand research into issues that particularly affect women; however, it does not yet have a defined budget.
The measure also creates a presidential task force on women’s health. The announcement therefore opens two fronts: a research unit at the NIH and a White House body to coordinate action among federal agencies.
Topics the division will cover include cardiovascular diseases and conditions such as endometriosis and infertility, as well as menopause. The announced focus is on addressing conditions unique to women or that have a disproportionate impact on them.
A new structure, with funding still pending
The NIH already has an Office of Research on Women’s Health. The planned division will work with that office, not replace it. Its goal is not limited to producing knowledge: it also aims to use discoveries to improve medical services and guide health policy decisions directed at women and girls.
Melania accompanied the president during the signing in the Rose Garden. In presenting the initiative, she proposed using artificial intelligence to accelerate discoveries, advance treatments, make medical advances more affordable, and reduce taboos around women’s health. These are goals of the project, not already demonstrated clinical benefits.
The main outstanding issue is funding. Jay Bhattacharya, director of the NIH, acknowledged that the amount the new division will receive has not yet been determined. He considered it likely that additional resources would be added and cited endometriosis and menopause as areas that have received less investment than needed, but did not confirm an allocation.
For now, the confirmed change is institutional: there will be a specialized division and a presidential coordination mechanism. The signing does not mean that new treatments are already available or that promises to make them more accessible have been fulfilled.
Image: Official portrait of Melania Trump from January 2025. File photo: Régine Mahaux / Wikimedia Commons.
