The Office of Research on Women's Health (ORWH) serves as a focal point for women's health research at the NIH. Established in September 1990 within the Office of the Director. ORWH
ORWH works in partnership with the NIH institutes and centers to ensure that women's health research is part of the scientific framework at NIH and throughout the scientific community.
Research on Women’s Health for the 21st Century
ORWH, in collaboration with the NIH and the extramural scientific and public advocacy communities, published a research report, Agenda for Research on Women’s Health for the 21st Century, which is used to establish research priorities for each year.
ORWH continues to enhance, stimulate, fund, and co-fund meritorious research, sponsor research planning conferences on women’s health, and recommend and develop new research initiative through partnerships with the NIH Institute and Centers.
Each year, the ORWH considers the continuing gaps in knowledge from the Agenda or newly emerging scientific concepts to determine specific areas of research priorities for new initiatives or increased focus.
Further Information: Research Section
ORWH developed, implemented, and funded new and innovative interdisciplinary research enters and interdisciplinary training programs
Purpose: With increasing understanding of the inter-relatedness and complexity of disease, the nature of scientific investigation is shifting to a multi-disciplinary collaborative approach. Advances in women’s health can be better achieved by promoting partnerships in cross-disciplinary research.
Value:
Interdisciplinary Research in Action
ORWH led the development and implementation of two major initiatives. Both provide innovative approaches to advancing research on the role of sex and gender related health effects.
Intramural Program on Research on Women’s Health (IPRWH):
ORWH recently began a new trans-NIH Interdisciplinary collaboration on women’s health and sex/gender comparison.
The Women’s Health Special Interest Group sponsors monthly lectures by NIH and university researchers.
Goals
Further Information: Please visit Intramural Section
NIH Mandate for the Inclusion of Women and Minorities in Clinical Research
ORWH leads NIH efforts in monitoring adherence to the NIH policy on the inclusion of women and minorities in clinical research studies.
ORWH Roles
These data are generated through a computerized system that provides aggregate data to document adherence to the policy and the number of women, minorities and non-minority men included in all clinical research studies as well as those enrolled in Phase III clinical trials. Analyses of NIH-wide demographic data on subjects enrolled in clinical research studies show that substantial numbers of both women and minorities have been included as research subjects.
Further Information: Visit Inclusion section
Career Development for Women Scientists
Goal: Develop and support opportunities for recruitment, retention, re-entry, and advancement of women in biomedical careers
Background
A report, Women in Biomedical Careers: Dynamics of Change, Strategies for the 21st Century, from an ORWH sponsored workshop to identify successful ways to overcome obstacles to research careers, continues to serve as the basis for ORWH activities to increase opportunities for women in biomedical careers.
Examples
Further information: Visit Career Section
The ORWH Women’s Health Seminar Series features nationally recognized leaders in women’s health research who present the latest information on topics important to women’s health.
Seminars are free and open to the public.
2005 Seminars Topics: Sleep Disorders, Depression, and Pain in Women