Thank you for your support in 2020.

The Society for Women’s Health Research thanks you and values your support, engagement, and collaboration during the past year. In our 30th anniversary year, we celebrated our legacy of advocacy while continuing our work to make women's health mainstream. Check out our accomplishments below and learn more about our programs and sponsors here.
Join Us in 2021
Join SWHR on April 29 in celebrating achievements, advancements, & innovations in women’s health. Sponsorships and tickets available now!
Tune in on January 14 from 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. ET for a discussion on the menopause transition and how we can improve care for women. Register now!
2020 Year in Review
SWHR'S 30TH ANNIVERSARY
2020 marked SWHR's 30th anniversary year. SWHR celebrated this milestone with a virtual awards gala honoring three women leaders in science and medicine.

  • Watch a video on SWHR's legacy.
  • View a timeline of important SWHR and women's health milestones.
  • Read the blog about SWHR's three honorees.
COVID-19 & WOMEN'S HEALTH
The COVID-19 pandemic affects women’s health in a multitude of ways. Throughout 2020, SWHR provided both original content and information from reliable, evidence-based sources on our coronavirus news hub. SWHR is committed to continuing our work to raise awareness about COVID-19's impact on women’s health in 2021.
While coronavirus infection rates are similar between women and men, men are consistently dying at a higher rate than women. SWHR examined the sex and gender differences that became evident early in the pandemic, and while more information is now available, key questions still remain.


The COVID-19 pandemic has changed lives across the world — but not to the same extent. Vast gender and racial disparities characterize the pandemic in the United States. Read about the disparities faced by women of color on SWHR's blog.

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Many women have been hesitant or unable to attend health care visits during the pandemic, leading to thousands of missed annual wellness visits, vaccinations, and cancer screenings. The long-term effects of the pandemic on women's cancer care may take years to determine. Read SWHR's blog.
SCIENCE AND HEALTH
Migraine is a common and debilitating neurological disease that affects an estimated 18% of women in the United States. To guide people with migraine on their journey toward wellness, SWHR created the Living Well with Migraine Toolkit, a follow-up to SWHR's first Migraine Patient Toolkit: A Guide to Your Care.

Uterine fibroids are a significant public health issue and disproportionately affect Black women. SWHR hosted a virtual roundtable and public forum to discuss gaps in research, clinical practice, policy, and patient education that must be addressed to improve health outcomes for patients with fibroids.

Research shows differences exist between women and men in experience and treatment of pain conditions such as osteoarthritis. SWHR convened experts for a roundtable discussion to identify gaps in understanding the impact of sex and gender on osteoarthritis in women. Read the blog and the peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Women’s Health.
Although almost all sexually active people contract human papillomavirus (HPV), public awareness around the virus is lacking. HPV can cause a variety of cancers and the associated burden of disease and stigma disproportionately falls on women. Read SWHR's blog on gaps in research and care for women with HPV and related diseases.

SWHR launched a blog series focused on the need to raise awareness about liver health issues that impact women. The first blog examined primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), an autoimmune liver disease that overwhelmingly affects women. The second blog took a look at sex and gender differences evident in liver health more broadly.

Watch for more blogs in 2021!
Women are disproportionately harmed by most major eye conditions, which can be debilitating to an individual’s quality of life. SWHR convened a panel of experts to identify gaps in women’s eye health and how they can be addressed. Read the blog.
POLICY AND ADVOCACY
In 2020, SWHR wrote 19 comment letters to congressional leadership and government agencies such as the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration advocating for policies that promote women's health. This work ranged from recommendations to better consider sex and gender differences in COVID-19 response to suggestions to improve Alzheimer's disease research.

Check out the full scope of SWHR's policy engagement in 2020 here.
SWHR President and CEO Kathryn G. Schubert received Women in Government Relations' 2020 Advocate of the Year Award for her efforts around inclusion of pregnant and breastfeeding women in research. Read her blog post on the importance of these advocacy efforts and hear her on The Minority Leaders podcast discussing accomplishments, mentors, and inspirations through her career.
When assessing the economic value of new drugs and other health care interventions, the factors that consider individual human needs are the most difficult to quantify but also the most essential to include. Earlier this year, SWHR invited experts in the field of value assessment to a meeting of SWHR's Policy Advisory Council to discuss the current environment and the future of value assessment. Read the blog.

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ENGAGE WITH SWHR
SWHR is interested in collaborating with health care innovators to eliminate health disparities, increase health equity, and improve women's health across the lifespan. Our partners include pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and medical device companies who are committed to making women’s health mainstream and value women as the chief medical officers and caregivers of their families. For more information on how you can partner with SWHR on science, policy, or education initiatives, please contact our development office at joy@swhr.org or 202.496.5001.