The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) endorses the Research for All Act of 2014, introduced by U.S. Representatives Jim Cooper (D-TN) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY). SWHR believes this legislation will have a powerful impact on women’s health research.

Phyllis Greenberger, SWHR president and CEO, said, “SWHR is proud to support the Research for All Act of 2014, which we believe represents a significant step forward in helping get more women in clinical trials. This legislation will encourage greater study of sex differences in medical research, so we can better understand how diseases and treatments affect men and women differently.”

Greenberger continued, “Earlier this year, SWHR called on congressional leaders to do more to ensure that women are appropriately represented in clinical trials. We are pleased that Congress has taken notice and thank Cooper and Lummis for their commitment to improving the health of every American through this legislation.”

“SWHR calls on all members of Congress to support this bill as women’s health is a bipartisan issue and this research impacts our knowledge of both women and men,” she said. “We need more women to be included in clinical trials, especially in the earlier phases of research, and we need the data to be properly analyzed for sex differences. This information is vital to the health of all Americans.”

Among other things, the Research for All Act of 2014 would:

• Direct the FDA to guarantee clinical drug trials for expedited drug products are sufficient to determine safety and effectiveness for both men and women
• Increase the study of female animals, tissues and cells in basic research conducted or supported by the NIH and require the NIH to track how they are used
• Direct the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review and report on women and minority inclusion in medical research at both the NIH and the FDA