While much progress has been made since the passage of the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993 (PL 103-43) mandating inclusion of women and minorities in NIH funded clinical studies, there is still much work to be done to ensure that sex and gender equity exists across the full spectrum of women's health research and care and this issue is now a priority for the WHRI.  In addition, the WHRI also advocates  for policies that help the advancement of women in the sciences.  The Women’s Health Research Institute:  

  • Provides expertise to policy makers at the local, state and federal levels on sex and gender inclusion.
  • Presents expert testimony generated by our Leadership Council to Congress and other legislative bodies
  • Educates the public and professional communities on major policy issues that impact women's health through our educational forums, website, blogs and social media.
  • Provides commentary to major research publications, newsletters and other outlets on timely issues related to women.
  • Tracks  the status of women at all levels of the academic biomedical pipeline

Advocacy Activities

The Women's Health Research Institute actively advocates for sex equity in research, the inclusion of pregnant women in clinical trials, the advancement of women in science, reproductive research, health insurance, and environmental research. Read more

Position Papers

As new policy issues arise, the Women's Health Research Institute develops press papers, articles, and opinion pieces on influential topics featuring expert Northwestern researchers and clinicians. Read more

Federal Policies

There have been many recent landmark legislation and federal reports related to women's health and sex equity in research and care. Read more