The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) is a U.S.-based national nonprofit and thought leader dedicated to advancing women’s health through science, policy, and education while promoting research on sex differences to optimize women’s health. Founded in 1990 by a group of physicians, medical researchers, and health advocates, SWHR is making women’s health mainstream by addressing unmet needs and research gaps in women’s health. Thanks to SWHR’s efforts, women are now routinely included in medical research studies across the United States and more scientists are considering sex as a biological variable in their research – across America and globally.
SWHR plays a critical role in identifying research and clinical care gaps; raising awareness of diseases, conditions, and life stages that differently, disproportionately, or exclusively affect women; and promoting science-based policies that could positively shape health outcomes for women. SWHR focuses on a wide range of women’s health topics, including autoimmune diseases; eye health; gynecologic and reproductive health; healthy aging and menopause; infectious diseases; liver health; maternal health; pain; and sleep.
The success of SWHR’s programming is grounded in our ability to convene diverse groups of research and clinical experts, patient advocacy leaders, and policy stakeholders whose work cuts across scientific disciplines and health sectors to prioritize and mobilize efforts to address persistent gaps in women’s health. All of SWHR’s activities are rooted in science. Whether calling for research innovation, engaging in policy efforts, conducting awareness campaigns, or creating patient education materials, our work is evidence-based and vetted by experts in the field. Finally, the inclusion of patient perspectives ensures that SWHR’s work is addressing the needs of women living with these conditions every day.
SWHR’s work thrives because of its productive collaborations, both within our working groups and with partners in the health care ecosystem, including professional societies, health care systems, patient advocacy organizations, government agencies, and industry. We rely on partners that can help expand our breadth of expertise, engage with and amplify our free resources and programming, and partner with us across women’s health areas, as we aim to understand the gaps, advance the science, and improve care for women – all in an effort to make women’s health mainstream.
