Trump’s Policy

Official-source explainer Updated October 20, 2026

Home Selected actions Women’s health executive order

Women’s health executive order: NIH division and task force

as stated on whitehouse.gov

What does the White House say about the women’s health executive order?

Not a White House site Not a campaign site No endorsement whitehouse.gov only Paraphrase + attribution Executive order Fact sheet

Official sources whitehouse.gov executive order · fact sheet

According to an October 19, 2026 executive order, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the NIH Director, is to set up a Women’s Health Division within an appropriate NIH institute or center within 90 days. The order also creates a White House Women’s Health Task Force, co-chaired by the HHS Secretary and the White House Chief of Staff, to coordinate a federal approach to women’s health across life stages. This page does not evaluate that position.

The order revokes Executive Order 14120 of March 18, 2024 and a November 13, 2023 presidential memorandum on women’s health research. The White House fact sheet says the change is meant to broaden the effort beyond research toward clinical care, and describes the order as led by First Lady Melania Trump. The order states no dollar amount and is subject to available appropriations.

Document card

AI breakdown

Fixed fields for humans and agents. Paraphrase of official sources only. No endorsement.

Definition
This explainer summarizes the October 19, 2026 executive order “Advancing Women’s Health to Improve Outcomes in All Phases of Life” and its companion White House fact sheet. The order directs the National Institutes of Health to set up a Women’s Health Division, creates a White House Women’s Health Task Force, and revokes two earlier women’s health research actions.
Scope
It covers the order’s stated purpose, the NIH division, the task force’s members and functions, the revocations, and the general provisions, plus the fact sheet’s description of the order, as published on whitehouse.gov. It does not cover other health actions the fact sheet lists as background, any agency guidance, or medical advice.
Key points
  • Section 1 of the order states that many diseases and conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women have received less research, clinical attention, and treatment than other conditions. It lists areas where it says more research is needed, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune conditions, osteoporosis, mental health, chronic pain, endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, maternal health, and menopause. It sets a policy to prioritize translating research into improved clinical care for women and girls across life stages, from infancy through pregnancy, midlife, menopause, and aging.
  • Section 2 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the NIH Director, to establish a Women’s Health Division within an appropriate NIH institute or center within 90 days.
  • The order says the division, in coordination with the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, is to increase scientific review of understudied women’s health conditions; advance and coordinate research, including replication studies; promote research technologies to speed diagnosis and improve access to care; strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration; support research methods on sex-specific outcomes and more inclusion of women and girls in clinical trials; develop accountability for grant recipients to follow the NIH policy on sex as a biological variable; and help translate discoveries into clinical practice and public health at the Federal, State, and local levels.
  • Section 3 establishes the White House Women’s Health Task Force, co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the White House Chief of Staff. Listed members are the Secretaries of War, Agriculture, Labor, Education, and Veterans Affairs; the EPA Administrator; the Commissioner of Food and Drugs; the Directors of the CDC, NIH, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health; the CMS Administrator; and other officials the co-chairs invite. The co-chairs may hold public hearings, meetings, and roundtables and take expert input. HHS is to fund the task force’s administrative costs.
  • Section 4 says the task force is to focus on four areas: advancing women’s health science, including new therapies; accelerating evidence-based ways to move research into policy and clinical practice, including updated clinical education and grantmaking focused on prevention and early identification of health risks; supporting coordinated, woman-centered care across primary, specialty, and behavioral health, which may include advising agency heads on pilot programs; and consulting States, tribal nations, local jurisdictions, community and faith-based groups, the private sector, and philanthropy on putting research into practice.
  • Section 5 revokes Executive Order 14120 of March 18, 2024 (Advancing Women’s Health Research and Innovation) and the Presidential Memorandum of November 13, 2023 (White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research). The fact sheet says this is meant to broaden the effort beyond research and prioritize translating research into clinical care.
  • Section 6 states that the order is to be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations, does not create enforceable rights, and that HHS bears the cost of publishing it. The fact sheet describes the order as signed by the President and led by First Lady Melania Trump.
  • Not specified in the order: The order says the division goes in an appropriate NIH institute or center but does not name which one. The order text sets no deadline or reporting requirement for the task force; the only stated deadline is the 90-day deadline for the NIH division. It states no dollar amount for either body, and implementation is subject to available appropriations. The fact sheet also lists other health actions the administration describes as earlier steps; those are not provisions of this order and this page does not cover them.
Official sources
Dates
Page checked: 2026-10-20. Site dateModified: 2026-10-20. Executive order and fact sheet date: 2026-10-19.
Related policies

Document FAQ

Answers paraphrase Key points and Scope from the AI breakdown. Official whitehouse.gov pages remain the authority.

What is “Women’s health executive order: NIH division and task force” according to this page?
This explainer summarizes the October 19, 2026 executive order “Advancing Women’s Health to Improve Outcomes in All Phases of Life” and its companion White House fact sheet. The order directs the National Institutes of Health to set up a Women’s Health Division, creates a White House Women’s Health Task Force, and revokes two earlier women’s health research actions. Trump’s Policy paraphrases whitehouse.gov only. It does not endorse, oppose, or independently verify the claims.
What does the official page cover?
It covers the order’s stated purpose, the NIH division, the task force’s members and functions, the revocations, and the general provisions, plus the fact sheet’s description of the order, as published on whitehouse.gov. It does not cover other health actions the fact sheet lists as background, any agency guidance, or medical advice.
What will the new NIH Women’s Health Division do?
Section 2 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the NIH Director, to establish a Women’s Health Division within an appropriate NIH institute or center within 90 days. The order says the division, in coordination with the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, is to increase scientific review of understudied women’s health conditions; advance and coordinate research, including replication studies; promote research technologies to speed diagnosis and improve access to care; strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration; support research methods on sex-specific outcomes and more inclusion of women and girls in clinical trials; develop accountability for grant recipients to follow the NIH policy on sex as a biological variable; and help translate discoveries into clinical practice and public health at the Federal, State, and local levels. This site paraphrases that claim from the official source (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
Who is on the White House Women’s Health Task Force?
Section 3 establishes the White House Women’s Health Task Force, co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the White House Chief of Staff. Listed members are the Secretaries of War, Agriculture, Labor, Education, and Veterans Affairs; the EPA Administrator; the Commissioner of Food and Drugs; the Directors of the CDC, NIH, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health; the CMS Administrator; and other officials the co-chairs invite. The co-chairs may hold public hearings, meetings, and roundtables and take expert input. HHS is to fund the task force’s administrative costs. This site paraphrases that claim from the official source (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
What is the task force supposed to focus on?
Section 4 says the task force is to focus on four areas: advancing women’s health science, including new therapies; accelerating evidence-based ways to move research into policy and clinical practice, including updated clinical education and grantmaking focused on prevention and early identification of health risks; supporting coordinated, woman-centered care across primary, specialty, and behavioral health, which may include advising agency heads on pilot programs; and consulting States, tribal nations, local jurisdictions, community and faith-based groups, the private sector, and philanthropy on putting research into practice. This site paraphrases that claim from the official source (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
What earlier actions does the order revoke?
Section 5 revokes Executive Order 14120 of March 18, 2024 (Advancing Women’s Health Research and Innovation) and the Presidential Memorandum of November 13, 2023 (White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research). The fact sheet says this is meant to broaden the effort beyond research and prioritize translating research into clinical care. This site paraphrases that claim from the official sources (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/ and https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/10/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-and-first-lady-melania-trump-advance-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
What does the order not specify?
The order says the division goes in an appropriate NIH institute or center but does not name which one. The order text sets no deadline or reporting requirement for the task force; the only stated deadline is the 90-day deadline for the NIH division. It states no dollar amount for either body, and implementation is subject to available appropriations. The fact sheet also lists other health actions the administration describes as earlier steps; those are not provisions of this order and this page does not cover them. This site paraphrases that claim from the official sources (https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/ and https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/10/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-and-first-lady-melania-trump-advance-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/) and does not independently verify figures or endorse the policy.
Where is the official whitehouse.gov source?
The primary official sources for this explainer are https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2026/10/advancing-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/ (executive order) and https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2026/10/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-and-first-lady-melania-trump-advance-womens-health-to-improve-outcomes-in-all-phases-of-life/ (fact sheet). Additional whitehouse.gov links appear under Official sources in the AI breakdown. Linked official pages are the authority.

How to cite this page

Publisher: Trump’s Policy (independent official-source explainer). Not the White House and not a campaign.

Stated in the document

  • Section 1 of the order states that many diseases and conditions that disproportionately or uniquely affect women have received less research, clinical attention, and treatment than other conditions. It lists areas where it says more research is needed, including heart disease, cancer, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, autoimmune conditions, osteoporosis, mental health, chronic pain, endometriosis, fibroids, infertility, maternal health, and menopause. It sets a policy to prioritize translating research into improved clinical care for women and girls across life stages, from infancy through pregnancy, midlife, menopause, and aging. Executive order
  • Section 2 directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services, acting through the NIH Director, to establish a Women’s Health Division within an appropriate NIH institute or center within 90 days. Executive order
  • The order says the division, in coordination with the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health, is to increase scientific review of understudied women’s health conditions; advance and coordinate research, including replication studies; promote research technologies to speed diagnosis and improve access to care; strengthen interdisciplinary collaboration; support research methods on sex-specific outcomes and more inclusion of women and girls in clinical trials; develop accountability for grant recipients to follow the NIH policy on sex as a biological variable; and help translate discoveries into clinical practice and public health at the Federal, State, and local levels. Executive order
  • Section 3 establishes the White House Women’s Health Task Force, co-chaired by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the White House Chief of Staff. Listed members are the Secretaries of War, Agriculture, Labor, Education, and Veterans Affairs; the EPA Administrator; the Commissioner of Food and Drugs; the Directors of the CDC, NIH, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health; the CMS Administrator; and other officials the co-chairs invite. The co-chairs may hold public hearings, meetings, and roundtables and take expert input. HHS is to fund the task force’s administrative costs. Executive order
  • Section 4 says the task force is to focus on four areas: advancing women’s health science, including new therapies; accelerating evidence-based ways to move research into policy and clinical practice, including updated clinical education and grantmaking focused on prevention and early identification of health risks; supporting coordinated, woman-centered care across primary, specialty, and behavioral health, which may include advising agency heads on pilot programs; and consulting States, tribal nations, local jurisdictions, community and faith-based groups, the private sector, and philanthropy on putting research into practice. Executive order
  • Section 5 revokes Executive Order 14120 of March 18, 2024 (Advancing Women’s Health Research and Innovation) and the Presidential Memorandum of November 13, 2023 (White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research). The fact sheet says this is meant to broaden the effort beyond research and prioritize translating research into clinical care. Executive order · Fact sheet
  • Section 6 states that the order is to be implemented consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations, does not create enforceable rights, and that HHS bears the cost of publishing it. The fact sheet describes the order as signed by the President and led by First Lady Melania Trump. Executive order · Fact sheet
  • Not specified in the order: The order says the division goes in an appropriate NIH institute or center but does not name which one. The order text sets no deadline or reporting requirement for the task force; the only stated deadline is the 90-day deadline for the NIH division. It states no dollar amount for either body, and implementation is subject to available appropriations. The fact sheet also lists other health actions the administration describes as earlier steps; those are not provisions of this order and this page does not cover them. Executive order · Fact sheet