Duckworth & Schakowsky reintroduce resolution recognizing January 25th as Women’s Health Research Day

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), along with 19 of their Senate colleagues, introduced a resolution to designate January 25^th, 2019, as Women’s Health Research Day. Their legislation aims to recognize the need to increase awareness of sex- and gender-based biomedical research, which the National Institutes of Health did not consider prior to 2016, the underrepresentation of women in past biomedical research and the importance of inclusive health research for women.

“Women of all stripes, socioeconomic statuses and ages have different medical needs than men, but they are often underrepresented in important biomedical and clinical trials. This lack of representation can drastically limit women’s access to life-saving innovations and treatments,” said Duckworth. “If we as a nation want to make sure women have access to the best health care possible, we need to start by ensuring a diversity of women are included when biomedical research trials are conducted.”

“For decades, women of all races, ethnicities, ages, and socioeconomic groups have been underrepresented in biomedical research,” Schakowsky said. “Inclusion of diverse women in biomedical research benefits everyone, leading to better drugs and treatments for all. I am proud to recognize that biomedical research is catching up with the diverse character of our nation. Full representation of all women is the only way to guarantee that everyone has access to the best health care the world has to offer.”

This Duckworth-Schakowsky legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Edward Markey (D-MA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).

This resolution is endorsed by the American Association of University Women (AAUW), Organization for the Study of Sex Differences, Women’s Health Research Institute (IL, Northwestern), Center for Research on Women and Gender (IL, UIC), Women, Heart and Brain Global Initiative (MA, Harvard), Gendered Innovations in Science, Health & Medicine, Engineering and Environment Project (CA, Stanford), Institute for Women's Health (VA, VCU), Institute for Women's Health and Leadership (PA, Drexel), Johns Hopkins Center for Women's Health, Sex, and Gender Differences (MD, JHU), Women's Health Institute (NJ, Rutgers), Women's Health Research Center (MS, UMS), Blavatnik Family Women’s Health Research Institute (NY, Mount Sinai), American Medical Women’s Association, Society for Women's Health Research, Research!America, American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Preventive Medicine, American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Society for Nutrition, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, American Society of Nephrology, American Society for Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum, Brem Foundation, Endocrine Society, Hadassah, The Women’s Zionist Organization of America, Inc., HealthyWomen, Jewish Women International, March of Dimes, National Association of Nurse Practitioners in Women’s Health, National Council of Jewish Women, National Organization for Women, National Women’s Health Network, National Women's Political Caucus, Open Medical Foundation, RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association, SCAD Alliance, Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Society for Reproductive Investigation, The Shane Foundation, WomenHeart: The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease and Women Against Alzheimer’s.

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