Members of Congress Mark 30th Anniversary of the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), provided a salute from Congress in celebration of the 30th anniversary of the NIH Revitalization Act of 1993, acknowledging the contributions of leaders who spearheaded the legislation 30 years ago. The act established the inclusion of women in NIH-funded clinical trials and research.
Women’s Health Access Matters (WHAM) hosted the June 14 commemorative event that featured a panel discussion and roundtable dialogue in Washington, D.C.
Former Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD); former Rep. Connie Morella (R-MD); Dr. Vivian Pinn, senior scientist emerita at the Fogarty International Center; Dr. Janine Clayton, director of NIH’s Office of Research on Women’s Health; women’s health research allies; and current members of Congress who support accelerating advancements in women’s health through research joined the panel discussion.
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) also provided remarks.
There were video tributes honoring Mikulski, Morella and Pinn by Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA), Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Rep. Judy Chu (D-CA), Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) and Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV).
In a tweet about the event, Schakowsky wrote, “We have come a long way, but there is still more work to be done to guarantee health equity for all.”
After the panel discussion, Clayton participated in a roundtable talk co-moderated by Dr. Maria Freire, former president and executive director of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health, and Ash Shehata, national sector leader for health care and life sciences at KPMG.
They were joined by business and public-sector leaders, advocates, investors, economists and academics to discuss opportunities for innovation and to catalyze cross-sector collaborations to spur research and investment in the health of women in #3not30, a WHAM initiative with a goal of developing an action plan to accelerate women’s health research and investment in three, not 30, years.
When asked about her vision for #3not30, Clayton responded, “Although the challenge to redefine the future of women’s health while matching the urgency of our mission is ambitious, I have no doubt that we’re up to the task.
“Together,” she continued, “we can jump-start a new era of putting science to work for the health of women and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. Meeting today’s women where they are and having a person-centric approach will be the driving force of women’s health research, guided by the unique needs and experiences of women. It will propel us toward improving the health and well-being of women worldwide, putting their voices and concerns at the forefront. This is our future. This is our #3not30.”