Introduction Of Women's Health Office Act

Floor Speech

INTRODUCTION OF WOMEN'S HEALTH OFFICE ACT -- (Extensions of Remarks - February 15, 2007)

* Mrs. MALONEY of New York. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the Women's Health Office Act with my Republican colleague, Deborah Pryce from Ohio. This Act establishes permanent authorization for the offices or officers of women's health in five federal agencies: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Health Resources and Services Administration, and the Food and Drug Administration.

* Women's health research has been historically underfunded in the United States and for years women have been banned from clinical trials. For example, in 1977, the FDA barred all women of child bearing potential from participating in most early phase clinical research, and this continued for 16 years. Unfortunately, sex differences continue to be ignored in medical research today and we have not made up for the dearth of information on women's health.

* The offices of women's health in these federal agencies were intended to provide a much needed focus on women's health including research, service delivery, policy, education, and outreach. However, these offices are currently unable to perform their responsibilities due to a lack of support from our federal government. They are severely underfunded and understaffed, and vulnerable to elimination in the future.

* The work of these offices is essential to improving the health of women in the United States. Creating a permanent authorization would ensure that these offices retain their allocated funding, are sufficiently staffed, and can accomplish the important work for which they were established.

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