Trump to Establish New NIH Division and Task Force on Women's Health

October 20, 2026 - 00:37

President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Monday that will create a new division within the National Institutes of Health dedicated to women's health, along with a task force to support the effort. The announcement was confirmed by the White House, which noted that first lady Melania Trump will join the president for the signing ceremony.

The move signals a formal push to elevate women's health research within the federal government's primary medical research agency. The new NIH division would give women's health issues a dedicated institutional home, while the task force is expected to coordinate efforts across agencies and advise on priorities.

Details on the division's budget, leadership, and scope have not yet been released. It remains unclear how the new entity will interact with existing NIH institutes that already fund research on conditions affecting women. The executive order is expected to outline initial responsibilities and a timeline for standing up the division.

Women's health advocates have long argued that research into conditions such as endometriosis, maternal mortality, and menopause has been underfunded relative to their impact. Whether the new division translates into additional funding or mainly reorganizes existing programs will likely shape how the announcement is received.

The signing is scheduled for Monday at the White House, with the first lady expected to play a visible role in the initiative going forward.