FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

March 12, 2024

MEDIA CONTACT: 

e: brian.phillips@mail.house.gov

c: 202.913.0126

Washington, D.C. — Today, Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09) wrote First Lady Dr. Jill Biden to applaud her and the Biden-Harris Administration’s efforts with the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research, as well as to urge the further prioritization of uterine fibroids research funding through the historic initiative.

“We write to applaud the Biden-Harris Administration’s action in establishing the first-ever White House Initiative on Women’s Health Research – a historic undertaking that exemplifies this administration’s unprecedented commitment to addressing the health inequities faced by women in this country. Moreover, it represents a significant step forward in accelerating research on the health needs of women across their lifespans. For decades, the longstanding inequities in women’s health research have produced devastating downstream health impacts and economic implications,” wrote Clarke “In my own life, I’ve long confronted a condition that, like so many others that exclusively affect women, is critically underfunded – uterine fibroids. Uterine fibroids, or noncancerous growths of the uterus, are one of the most common gynecological conditions nationwide. Approximately 26 million individuals in the U.S. from ages 15 to 50 have fibroids, contributing an estimated $5.9 billion to $34.4 billion in costs to the healthcare system annually. Unfortunately, diagnosis and treatment of fibroids is often challenging. Symptoms like irregular menstruation are consistently normalized by patients and providers alike, and many patients spend years without an accurate diagnosis. Beyond treatment being frequently invasive, it has the potential to-negatively affect fertility. It’s clear, today, that there is a great need for meaningful improvements in uterine fibroids prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.”

Read the full letter here.

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