SWHR regularly holds briefings on a variety of women’s health and research-related subjects. These briefings are attended by Congressional staff, federal agency personnel, advocacy group representatives and others to educate attendees about issues important to women’s health.
SWHR sent a letter congratulating the 2016 presidential election winner.
SWHR sent letters congratulating the 2016 presidential election nominees and urging them to make women’s health a priority in their platforms.
As the thought leader in advocating for research on sex differences, SWHR is often called upon by Congressional Committees to offer expert testimony on a variety of subject areas. An archive of our past Congressional Testimony is below.
Oral Testimony
- Congressional Briefing, “Women’s Health Can’t Wait: The Continued Need for Sex and Gender Based Research” – Remarks by Phyllis Greenberger (April 30, 2014)
- Testimony of Phyllis Greenberger, President and CEO Society for Women’s Health Research, U.S. Food and Drug Administration Hearing (April 1, 2014)
Written Testimony for Federal Funding
- House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (March 11, 2016)
- Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (March 11, 2016)
- House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and other Related Agencies (April 28, 2015)
- Senate Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (March 31, 2014)
- House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and other Related Agencies (March 26, 2014)
- House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (March 20, 2014)
As part of its advocacy mission, the Society for Women’s Health Research monitors the activities of the executive branch in the areas of women’s health and research. At the request of various federal agencies, SWHR periodically submits public comment letters detailing its positions on issues pertaining to SWHR’s public policy priorities.
- SWHR issued a letter in support of the continuation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) user fee programs through the negotiated Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) VI, Medical Device User Fee Act (MDUFA) IV, Biosimilar User Fee Act (BsUFA) II, and Generic Drug User Fee Act (GDUFA) II agreements. ( May 23, 2017)
- SWHR issued comments provided by their Interdisciplinary Network on Sleep for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) draft recommendation on screening for sleep apnea in adults. (July 13, 2016)
- SWHR issued comments on the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review’s (ICER) draft evidence report titled “Obeticholic Acid for the Treatment of Primary Biliary Cholangitis: Comparative Clinical Effectiveness and Value.” ( June 9, 2016)
- SWHR issued a response to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) regarding the NIH/FDA Draft Clinical Trial Protocol Template for Phase 2/3 trials. ( April 14, 2016)
- SWHR issued a response to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on “Human Cells, Tissues, and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products:Draft Guidance for Industry.” (April 11, 2016)
- SWHR issued a letter to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) National Center for Injury Prevention and Control with comments on the CDC’s Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain. (January 13, 2016)
- SWHR issued a letter to the Office of Human Research Protections (OHRP) on their Federal Policy for the Protection of Human Subjects, or Common Rule (December 4, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) on their draft strategic plan (October 30, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on their Acute Ischemic Stroke Medical Device Trials Workshop ( October 30, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on their Medical Device Patient Labeling Public Workshop ( October 30, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on low dose estrogen labeling ( October 16, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Preliminary Determinations for new test codes on the clinical laboratory fee schedule for 2016 (October 16, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to provide comments on the organization’s draft Depression Screening recommendation statement. (August 24, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) to provide comments on the organization’s Depression Screening evidence review. (August 24, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to provide suggestions on the organization’s five-year Strategic Plan Framework. (August 14, 2015)
- SWHR wrote a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Docket #2015-P-0732-0001 regarding the need for a new framework that addresses the standards and requirements for nanotechnology-derived drugs. (July 29, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) draft research plan for Menopausal Hormone Therapy: Primary Prevention of Chronic Conditions. (July 22, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force’s (USPSTF) on draft research plan for osteoporosis screening. (July 20, 2015)
- SWHR President and CEO submitted comments in support of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recognition of female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD) and efforts to find treatments for the disorder. (May 20, 2015)
- SWHR joined other advocates in writing to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services requesting that payment models be aligned with patient voices and needs. (April 30, 2015)
- SWHR signed onto a letter endorsing the Research for All Act of 2015. (April 28, 2015)
- SWHR joined other advocacy groups in asking Chairman Upton and Ranking Member Pallone of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce that Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) be used in generic medicines to ensure rigorous safeguards. (April 8, 2015)
- SWHR signed onto a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services requesting for the continued use of the interactive women’s health data site, Quick Health Data Online (QHDO). (March 27, 2015)
- SWHR wrote to Representative Jim Cooper endorsing the Research for All Act of 2014. (March 11, 2015)
- SWHR President and CEO Phyllis Greenberger sent a letter to CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner arguing for continued funding to Medicare Advantage plans, which disproportionately benefit older women. (February 26, 2015)
- SWHR commented to Representatives Upton and DeGette on the 21st Century Cures Initiative, emphasizing the importance of including women in health and research decisions. (February 12, 2015)
- SWHR issued a letter to the Director of the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) in support of the NIDA Strategic Plan’s consideration of the impact of sex and gender on drug abuse and addiction. (January 30, 2015)
- SWHR wrote to the Office of Clinical Research and Bioethics Policy at the NIH commenting on the proposed Single Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) for Multi-site Research plan, asking that IRBs ensure the standardization of collecting and analyzing demographic data. (January 29, 2015)
- SWHR joined other women’s health advocate groups to suggest improvements to the FDA’s Drug Trial Snapshots program. (January 23, 2015)
- SWHR signed onto a letter to the FDA’s Commissioner of Food and Drugs suggesting improvements to its Drug Trial Snapshots program. (January 23, 2015)
- SWHR submitted a Letter to the Editor to The Washington Post regarding the publication’s article, “Federal Privacy Law Lags Far Behind Personal Health Technologies.” (November 17, 2015)
