WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, President Joe Biden expressed his immense pride regarding a women’s health research initiative he initiated last year, which was inspired by his wife. He revealed that the initiative has successfully allocated almost $1 billion, highlighting the significant role that a healthy female demographic plays in enhancing the overall prosperity of the United States.
During his concluding remarks at the inaugural White House Conference on Women’s Health Research, Biden emphasized the importance of the initiative by stating, “That’s a fact.” He pointed out that there is still work to do to convey this message effectively, particularly in light of the incoming administration’s stance on women’s rights.
The administration of former President Donald Trump, during his first term, appointed three conservative judges to the Supreme Court who supported the reversal of a woman’s constitutional right to abortion. This topic emerged as a central issue in the electoral campaigns, with Democrats emphasizing reproductive rights and women’s health.
A spokesperson for Trump’s transition team, Karoline Leavitt, assured that Trump is committed to enhancing the health of all Americans, stating, “President Trump campaigned on making America healthy again for ALL Americans including men, women, and children, and he will deliver on that promise.”
Despite women representing approximately half of the U.S. population—around 168 million—officials have noted that medical research tailored to their distinctive health issues has historically received insufficient attention and financial backing.
First Lady Jill Biden explained that the idea for the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research originated from Maria Shriver, a prominent advocate for women’s health and a member of the renowned Kennedy family. At the conference, she assured attendees that her advocacy will persist beyond her husband’s presidency.
“My work doesn’t stop in January when Joe and I leave this house,” she emphasized. “I will keep building alliances, like the ones that brought us here today, and I will keep pushing for funding for innovative research.”
Jill Biden also highlighted the economic impact of menopause, citing a loss of approximately $1.8 billion in productivity annually. She expressed a keen interest in researching severe morning sickness experienced during pregnancy, particularly as her granddaughter, Naomi Biden Neal, is expecting her first child.
Since its inception, the women’s health research initiative has garnered nearly $1 billion in federal funding from various agencies, including the Defense Department and the National Institutes of Health.
Maria Shriver praised the collective efforts of the attendees, stating, “In one year, everybody in this room kicked butt. Not until the Bidens did anyone ever think to make women’s health and research a priority for the federal government, so let that sink in.”
The conference concluded with Biden acknowledging his wife’s contributions, referring to her as “kid,” and remarked to the audience, “In case you wonder, when she speaks, I listen.”
