First lady Jill Biden appeared in Cambridge on Wednesday to announce that her husband’s administration would commit $100 million to research into women’s health issues. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool)
The Biden administration sent First Lady Jill Biden to Cambridge on Wednesday to announce a $100 million commitment to close historic gaps in women’s health care research.
In the coming weeks, the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, will begin accepting “requests for solutions” to the Women’s Issues list, the Biden administration said. Healthcare-related topics developed by ARPA-H program managers.
This request “accelerates and expands novel and breakthrough research and development ideas to address women’s health and tools, products, and platforms with commercial potential to improve women’s health outcomes.” We are looking for opportunities to do so.”
The first lady said the investment comes after decades of underfunded research into medical issues specific to women and a long history of women’s medical concerns being ignored by doctors and the medical industry.
“If you ask any woman in America about her health care, she probably has a story to tell. So you know her,” Biden said at a co-working space on Main Street. Speaking on The Engine.
“She’s a woman who suffers from debilitating migraines, but she doesn’t know why and can’t find a treatment or option that works for her. Even though heart disease is the leading cause of death for women. , a woman who is not recognized as having a heart attack because her symptoms are not similar to a man’s heart attack. She visits her doctor and leaves with more questions than answers. “I’m a menopausal woman,” she said.
President Joe Biden announced the White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research in November, which the administration says will partner federal resources with private organizations and philanthropic organizations to innovate health care. This is said to be the first initiative of its kind.
Biden also urged Congress to create ARPA-H, a program created in the same vein as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), to streamline breakthroughs in health care research. We were heading towards the same goal. ARPA-H has raised $2.5 billion since its founding, according to the Biden White House.
“We recognize that there is still work to be done to advance knowledge and medical care about diseases that affect women. ARPA-H joins efforts across HHS to address this challenge. ,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra. “Women are significantly underrepresented in research into important issues such as coronary artery disease and autoimmune diseases. Women either have their needs ignored or are left out of scientific and health research altogether.” It is.”
The $100 million funding will be followed by an ARPA-H Proposer Day in March, during which further information about funding opportunities will be provided.
According to ARPA-H Director Renee Wegrzyn, the newly announced funding aims to “innovate early-stage research that has the potential to fundamentally change the trajectory of women’s health care and impact future generations.” From proof of concept to products ready to commercialize and launch to start improving women’s health today.
Sen. Ed Markey, who appeared with Congressman Elizabeth Warren on Wednesday, said the Biden administration’s financial commitment to women’s health is part of a movement calling for more research into health concerns that affect at least half of Americans. He said that it became a “rocket” under the. Population of the United States.
“A vision without funding is an illusion,” Markey said. “What we need for the women of our country is a health care system, not a disease treatment system.”
The first lady seemed to agree.
“We will build a health system that centers women and their lived experiences,” she said. “A place where women and girls don’t have to hear, ‘It’s all in your head,’ or ‘It’s just stress.'” A place where women are thought first, not just an afterthought. is. A place where women can not only survive, but live long, healthy lives despite their chronic illnesses. ”
The Herald Wire Service contributed.
