Trump Establishes Women’s Health Division at NIH and Revokes Biden-Era Order

President Donald Trump signed the “Advancing Women’s Health to Improve Outcomes in All Phases of Life” executive order on October 19, 2026, mandating a structural reorganization of federal medical research. The order directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to establish a new Women’s Health Division within the National Institutes of Health (NIH) within 90 days.

The initiative, which was championed by First Lady Melania Trump, also creates a White House Women’s Health Task Force. The task force is co-chaired by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles. During the signing ceremony, the First Lady stated, “Beginning today, we will change the reality of women’s health.”

The White House Women’s Health Task Force will be co-chaired by HHS Secretary and Chief of Staff .

Structural Changes and Research Priorities

The new NIH division is designed to centralize and prioritize research into conditions that have historically been understudied or disproportionately affect women. Specific areas of focus identified in the order include menopause, endometriosis, maternal health, and Alzheimer’s disease. While the NIH already houses an Office of Research on Women’s Health (ORWH), that office will continue to operate and is tasked with coordinating its efforts with the newly established division.

The executive order also carries significant policy implications by revoking President Biden’s 2024 Executive Order 14120, which had previously set the framework for federal women’s health research. By replacing the prior administration’s initiatives, the Trump administration is seeking to consolidate women’s health efforts under this new centralized division and task force.

Budgetary and Political Context

Despite the creation of the new division, the executive order does not specify new funding targets or guaranteed budget increases for women’s health research. This omission has drawn attention to the administration’s broader fiscal plans.

Supporters of the order maintain that the reorganization will ensure existing resources are used more effectively to address chronic and neglected conditions.

The timing of the order also coincides with broader political efforts to engage female voters ahead of upcoming midterm elections. By elevating women’s health to a cabinet-level task force priority, the administration is positioning these medical issues as a central pillar of its domestic policy agenda.

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