WTAS: HHS Wins for Women Under President Trump

Table of Contents:

• HHS Advances Women’s Health, Removes Misleading FDA Warnings on Hormone Replacement Therapy
• Moms.gov
• Operation Stork Speed
• HHS’ Infertility Initiative
• Fertility medicine discounts through TrumpRx
• HRSA Awards Nearly $13 Million to Expand Access to Healthy Foods for Pregnant and Postpartum Women
• Launched Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit Program to Support Mothers and Babies
• NIH launches $21 Million Initiative to Improve Understanding of Sex-Specific Hormonal Biology
• HRSA Awards More Than $525 Million to Strengthen and Expand Evidence-Based Home Visiting Services Nationwide
• CMS Announced Nearly $55 Million to Expand Rural Maternal and Emergency Care, Cancer Screening, and Alabama’s Rural Healthcare Workforce
• HHS National Conference on Women’s Health

HHS Advances Women’s Health, Removes Misleading FDA Warnings on Hormone Replacement Therapy: In November 2025, the FDA initiated the removal of broad “black box” warnings from HRT products for menopause.

• Headlines:
  • Woman’s World: What FDA Lifting Estrogen Black Box Warnings Means for You—Doctors Say It Could Change Menopause Care Forever
  • CBS News: FDA chief says warning labels deterred women from using menopause hormone therapy: “It's an American tragedy”
  • The Washington Post: FDA to lift warnings on menopause hormone therapy, potentially boosting access
  • Forbes: Why The FDA’s New Move On Hormone Therapy Could Help Women’s Careers
  • The New York Times: F.D.A. Will Remove Black Box Warnings From Hormone Treatments for Menopause
  • Reuters: US FDA to drop black box warnings from menopause hormone therapies
  • NPR: FDA reverses decades of guidance on hormone therapy for menopause
  • TIME: FDA Removes Black Box Warning on Hormone Therapy
  • USA Today: FDA removes the black box warning on hormone therapy for menopause
  • NewsNation: FDA to remove ‘black box’ warning from hormone therapy for menopause
  • NBC News: Hormone replacement therapy will no longer carry a warning label, FDA says
  • ABC News: FDA removes 'black box' warning label on hormone replacement therapy for menopause
  • Fox News: FDA moves to lift ‘black box’ warnings from hormone therapies for menopause symptoms
  • CNN: ‘Black box’ safety warning to be removed from hormone therapy for menopause
  • Harvard Health: FDA removes menopause hormone therapy black box warnings
  • STAT: FDA reverses decades-old warning on hormone therapy products for menopause
  • Katie Couric Media: This FDA Decision Could Transform Menopause Care
• Quotes:
  • Rep. Harshbarger via X: “Applauding @POTUS, @SecKennedy, and @DrMakaryFDA for today’s action removing outdated warnings on hormone therapy. As a pharmacist, I know this is a big win for women’s health. We must also protect access to compounded bioidentical hormone therapy for patients who need individualized care.”
  • American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists President, Steven J. Fleischman, MD, MBA, FACOG, via press release: “ACOG commends the HHS leadership for improving the lives of perimenopausal women by making the estrogen products they need more accessible to them. The modifications to certain warning labels for estrogen products are years in the making, reflecting the dedicated advocacy of physicians and patients across the country. The updated labels will better allow patients and clinicians to engage in a shared decision-making process, without an unnecessary barrier, when it comes to treatment of menopausal symptoms.”
  • The Menopause Society via press release: “We agree with the FDA’s decision to remove the boxed warning on low-dose vaginal estrogen therapies used to treat genitourinary symptoms associated with menopause. The boxed warning may have been a deterrent to the use of the low-dose vaginal estrogen, which is a safe and effective therapy for a condition that affects most menopausal women.”
  • Duke University School of Medicine Obstetrician-Gynecologist, Dr. MargEva Cole, via NBC News: “Our big concern about the black box warning is that a lot of women are excited about walking out the office and then go home and read the black box and then never start it, because they get scared.”
  • University of Virginia School of Medicine Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Dr. JoAnn Pinkerton, via CNN: “Removing the scary boxed warning from local vaginal estrogen is a victory for women’s health and for those who care for and about menopausal women…Regarding the removal of the boxed warning for systemic hormone therapy, which is absorbed into the bloodstream and has systemic effects throughout the body, we appreciate the FDA’s thoughtful, nuanced approach.”
  • New York University School of Law Birnbaum Women’s Leadership Center Executive Director, Jennifer Weiss-Wolf, via CNN: “When we think about the timing of this announcement, it’s not just the FDA making a move. It comes in the good company of now 19 states, red and blue alike, introducing more than 35 bills to improve menopause care…This is something that the menopause medical community has been asking for.”
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital Internist and Menopause Specialist, Dr. Kathryn Corelli, via Harvard Health: “They frightened many women who were very appropriate for hormone therapy and told them it was dangerous, when in reality the risks were quite low and just need to be discussed on an individualized basis.”
  • Menopause Clinic Founder, Heather Hirsch, MD, via Woman’s World: “This is really fantastic news. Removing the [black] box warning is a signal to retrain doctors, have meaningful discussions and get more women treated…The bone loss that we’ve had since we stopped prescribing hormone therapy: We’ve had a massive increase in bone fractures, which lead to death, costing trillions of healthcare dollars…I could go on and on. Women haven’t been feeling well, and we’ve been denying them treatment unnecessarily.”
  • Dr. Erika Schwartz via NewsNation broadcast: “It’s been a tragedy because millions of women were removed, taken off hormones that were lifesaving in 2002 due to a study that was flawed and it took 23 years to get to where we are today. So I welcome the FDA removing the black box warning.”
  • Dr. Peter Attia, Canadian-American physician and author via CBS 60 Minutes broadcast: “An incredible mistake [on hormone replacement therapy] was made 25 years ago…It's very hard not to argue that this is the greatest single failure of the modern medical system.”
  • Dr. Sharon Malone, OB/GYN and Jennifer Weiss-Wolf via Katie Couric Media: “This is about policy, not politics. Our job is to continue to discuss hormone therapy the same way we would any medication. At long last, we are free to have this conversation without the unnecessary fear factor that the black box warning engendered. Make no mistake: The FDA’s reversal of the labeling requirement is a major win for evidence-based medicine.”
  • Kelly Casperson, urologist via Fox News: “The FDA's decision to remove the box warning is not just regulatory…It's revolutionary.”
  • Fanny Elahi, MD, PhD, physician and scientist via X: “Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is not dangerous. Timing and formulation are critical components of benefit vs. harm. I’m glad to see the FDA warnings removed from HRT.
  • Janna Manjelievskaia, PhD, MPH, via X: “This is a huge development in women’s health”
  • Cynthia Thurlow, NP, Host of the Everyday Wellness Podcast, via X: “Truly a historic day. The FDA acknowledges that removing the black box warning on HRT will allow for better access to care and shared decision making.”
  • Dr. Robert W. Malone, physician and scientist via X: “This is really good news”
  • Alloy Health Co-CEO, Monica Molenaar, via STAT: “All politics aside, we are so excited for this… This really needs to be seen as a great thing.”
  • Alloy Health Co-CEO, Monica Molenaar, via USA Today: “This is really a historic day and is a massive re-education of everyone…Women no longer need to be fearful of the very thing that makes them feel better…This supersedes all politics. We have true science, information and decades of evidence there is no reason why women should continue to be harmed.”
  • CBS News Anchor, Norah O’Donnell, via broadcast: “This is really big news…This is a move that could help tens of millions of women.”
  • CBS Mornings Anchor, Gayle King, via broadcast: “I could cry listening to this because this will be helpful to so many women. But it’s maddening to me because I did not do hormone replacement therapy because of that warning. I would see that warning and it would scare me...I’m very excited for other women, but this is tough for me. ”
  • NewsNation Anchor, Elizabeth Vargas, via broadcast: “Women have suffered in silence with their symptoms ever since, until today.”
  • NewsNation Anchor, Elizabeth Vargas, via broadcast: “This may have been one of the biggest major medical mistakes in recent history. And a lot of women have paid the price…We’re not talking about small stuff here. We’re talking about symptoms that can really impact a woman’s life.”
  • News Nation Health Reporter, Anna Kooiman, via broadcast: “This health story could almost be the lead…Talk about just how huge this is for half the population.”
  • NewsNation Health Reporter, Anna Kooiman, via broadcast: “This feels like a watershed moment.”
  • Carol Tavris, Co-Author of Estrogen Matters via Forbes: “The removal of the black box warning is not only a huge step forward for women’s health and well-being, but also for their financial and professional success.”
  • Emily Miller, independent reporter via X: “This medical establishment should never have hurt women by this bad science. It took @POTUS @SecKennedy @DrMakaryFDA just 11 months to right this wrong for women to live longer and healthier lives. Our mothers and grandmothers deserved better but onward and upward!”
  • STAT Senior Writer, Matthew Herper, via X: “It's really not controversial at this point that the initial backlash against HRT from the WHI trials was overdone, and ignored the very real benefits these treatment provide the many women who choose to use them.”
  • Gary Brecka, health researcher via X: “An FDA expert panel reviewed decades of recent scientific data and determined that HRT: Benefits outweigh risks for most women when taken at the right time. HRT can be profoundly positive for women's health. The black box warnings were misleading.”

Moms.gov: In May 2026, HHS launched Moms.gov, a website designed to support new and expecting mothers. This new resource offers guidance and information for mothers and fathers who are navigating difficult or unexpected pregnancies to ensure the wellbeing of mothers and healthy American families.

Moms.gov is an easy-to-navigate platform featuring information about pregnancy centers, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), nutritional guidance, Trump Accounts, and other resources that support maternal and infant health.  Moms.gov delivers on longstanding requests from stakeholders and Members of Congress. Most importantly, Moms.gov prioritizes MAHA and MAGA initiatives, including family formation, nutritional information, and affordability. 

There are sections that include the following: 

• Support Services and Health Centers (Pregnancy Centers and FQHCs)
• Nutrition Quick Facts for Mothers based on the DGAs
• Trump Accounts
• Trump Rx
• Resources for Women & Parents
• Preconception Health
• Breastfeeding
• Nutrition
• Mental Health
• Adoption
• Early Head Start
• Additional Resources: Child Welfare, Sleep Safety, Substance Use, Infections, Health Conditions, and Additional Exposures.
• Headlines:
  • Daily Wire: EXCLUSIVE: White House Launches Moms.Gov, A Win For Pro-Life And MAHA Movements
  • The National News Desk: Trump administration launches moms.gov to support pregnant women and families
  • The Hill: Trump administration launches Moms.gov on Mother’s Day
  • The Epoch Times: Trump Admin Unveils Moms.gov Website for Mothers and Young Families
  • World: White House launches Moms.gov for pregnancy resources
  • Medpage Today: White House, HHS Debut Website for Expectant and New Moms
  • Alabama Political Reporter: Katie Britt endorses new HHS site offering pro-life resources for mothers
  • American Faith: White House Unveils Website for Moms
• Quotes:
  • Sen. Katie Britt via transcript: “When you look at the comprehensive nature of what we’re doing today and coming on the heels of Mother’s Day, I mean, we are thrilled to support mothers everywhere. Whether it’s that mom that is getting to experience growing life for the very first time, or the one chasing toddlers or wrangling teenagers, or being there when their adult child calls for advice. Moms are the heartbeats of our families, our communities, and our country. President Trump knows that, and he’s made sure we’ve created a comprehensive culture of life. That’s what you see right now with Moms.gov. It supports moms through the prenatal, postpartum and early childhood development stages of motherhood.”
  • Rep. Diana Harshbarger via press release: “I’m proud that the Trump administration embraced the vision behind my legislation and turned it into a trusted, life-affirming resource that can help connect women and families to the care and support they need.”
  • Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health via release: “…[W]e applaud the administration for hearing concerns about maternal mortality, maternity care deserts, and other critical needs of pregnant and postpartum women and families....”
  • American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, Christina Francis, via Medpage Today: “Every mother deserves real support and accurate information: before, during and after pregnancy…We are heartened to see HHS focusing on the support that every woman needs during pregnancy and beyond -- support that encourages healthy choices and recognizes the dignity and value of both our patients (mother and child). Pregnancy and motherhood convey significant health benefits to women…Healthy families are not only good for our patients but for society as a whole…Women and families thrive when they are empowered with information, access to life-affirming care, and support. We welcome moms.gov as a valuable resource for new mothers and their families.”
  • Independent Women Center of Better Health Director, Dr. Monique Yohanan, via The Epoch Times: “Moms.gov puts the resources mothers actually need—nutrition, mental health, community health centers—in one place. It’s a real win for maternal health.”
  • Dr. Jared Ross, DO, board-certified emergency physician and EMS medical director via One America News: “Wonderful website, couldn’t be better timing than to release it on Mother’s Day…We have a crisis of declining birth rates, well below replacement rate to replace our current population. And that’s seen most in the most educated, and the most affluent. Often these are women and families that have delayed having children to pursue education and to pursue careers. And these are exactly the people who are in the right spot to raise and educate a child and raise our next generation. And whether it be fertility issues and those fertility treatments being out of reach financially for them or childcare issues, this website really serves as a one stop shop for not just moms and future moms but dads as well…It really serves to promote families and to promote having children and really try to reverse this declining birthrate that we’ve had in the US.”
  • Real America’s Voice Anchor, David Brody, via broadcast: “This is an important program. Seems like it’s got a lot for moms and just folks out there in general.”

Operation Stork Speed: In 2025, HHS announced Operation Stork Speed to ensure quality, safety, and nutritional adequacy for infant formula for American families. While breastfeeding is the gold standard and optional source of nutrition, millions of moms cannot or choose not to breastfeed, and for them, infant formulas are a lifesaving tool.

• Headlines:
  • The New York Times: The F.D.A. Is Reviewing Infant Formula for the First Time in Decades
  • AP: Kennedy has ordered a review of baby formula. Here’s what you should know
  • The Washington Post: RFK Jr. is reviewing baby formula rules for the first time in 30 years. What’s at stake.
  • Breitbart: Exclusive — ‘Protect America’s Youngest Citizens’: MAHA Caucus Leaders Praise Trump, RFK Jr.’s Move to Ensure Safety in Infant Formula
  • STAT: RFK Jr. presses infant formula makers on seed oils, supply chain, and contaminants
  • USA Today: FDA, HHS announce plans to increase testing for heavy metals, contaminates in baby formula
  • Food Fix: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. launches review of infant formula amid seed oils controversy
  • CNN: FDA plans to update infant formula nutrition requirements for first time in nearly 30 years
  • ABC News: FDA to review nutrients in baby formula: 3 things for parents to know
  • Scripps News: FDA launches comprehensive review of nutrients in baby formula
  • Scary Mommy: RFK Has Ordered The FDA To Review Baby Formula In The US
  • Food Safety News: FDA plans infant formula testing program following Consumer Reports study
  • Moms Across America: Operation Stork Speed to Rescue the Reliability, Safety, and Nutritional Quality of Infant Formula
  • National Center for Health Research: ‘Operation Stork Speed’: HHS, FDA Launch Plan for More Testing, Scrutiny of Infant Formula Ingredients
• Quotes:
  • Sen. Rick Scott via X: “Throughout Biden’s presidency, I called out his failed leadership as formula was nowhere to be found, and parents scrambled to find it for their kids. Thank you, President Trump and @RobertKennedyJr, for addressing the problem. Operation Stork Speed has my full support.”
  • Sen. Lummis via Breitbart: “I applaud President Trump and Secretary Kennedy’s initiative to prioritize infant nutrition and make good on their promise to make America healthy again.”
  • Rep. Buddy Carter via Breitbart: “Making America Healthy Again begins in childhood. It is vitally important for all parents to know what ingredients are in their infant’s formula, so that they can make informed decisions that are in the best interest of their child’s health. I support Secretary Kennedy’s mission and look forward to working with him to improve the quality and transparency of baby formulas.”
  • Kansas University Researcher, Tera Fazzino, via STAT: “A focus on added sugars, such as corn syrup solids, fructose, and sucrose in infant formulas is critically needed to protect infant health and development…”
  • University of Florida’s College of Medicine Professor of Pediatrics and Neonatology, Josef Neu, via USA Today: “…I’m always concerned about any kind of toxins that we might be feeding the baby if it’s breast milk, donor milk, formula. I think that the companies should really be looking at this.”
  • University of Texas at Austin Professor of Pediatrics, Steven Abrams, via Food Fix: “Big picture is it’s a good thing…”
  • Healthy Babies Bright Futures Research Director, Jane Houlihan, via STAT: “Stronger oversight of formula is long overdue, whether the issue is harmful pathogens, toxic heavy metals, critical nutrient gaps, or supply chain failures…FDA’s move to require more rigorous testing for heavy metals is a crucial step toward protecting the health of our youngest and most vulnerable.”
  • Infant Nutrition Council of America via The New York Times: “[We] look forward to working with F.D.A. on Operation Stork Speed to ensure that U.S. infant formulas remain world-class and continue to be grounded in robust scientific evidence and clinical studies.”
  • Infant Nutrition Council of America via The Washington Post: “[We are] committed to working with Secretary Kennedy, HHS, and the FDA on Operation Stork Speed to ensure domestic infant formula products continue to meet the highest evidence-based standards for nutrition and safety, supported by clinical research, while strengthening supply resiliency to meet the nutritional needs of families, caregivers, and infants who rely on our products.”
  • Consumer Reports Head of Food Policy, Brian Ronholm, via USA Today: 
    “It’s very encouraging to see the FDA issue this announcement immediately after Consumer Reports shared our findings about contaminants in infant formula.”
  • Diana Zuckerman, Ph.D., President of the National Center for Health Research via release: “An important step forward.”
  • Dr. Steven Abrams, pediatrician and professor at the University of Texas’ Dell Medical School, via CNN: “Really well done … very well thought-out.”
  • Dr. Michelle Perro, Founder of GMOScience and pediatrician via press release: “We applaud the efforts of Sec. Kennedy, the HHS, and the FDA to tackle the baby elephant in the room. We desire to provide the best nutrition possible at the most vulnerable time in our children’s lives.”
  • Bill Marler, Attorney at The Food Safety Law Firm via blog: “That is real work, and I want to say so plainly. The nutrient requirements have not had a comprehensive review since 1998. Putting contaminant results on a public dashboard is exactly the kind of transparency I have spent years asking agencies for. Operation Stork Speed and the Make America Healthy Again push forced the first serious federal look at infant formula in a generation.”
  • Zen Honeycutt, Founder of Moms Across America via press release: “We are thrilled by Operation Stork Speed. Thank you, Robert F. Kennedy Jr and team! Our first investment should be in the safety and health of our babies. We deeply appreciate your timely response to the serious safety and supply chain issues that the baby formula market has had for years.”
  • Kendall Mackintosh, board-certified nutrition specialist via press release: “An absolutely critical and long-overdue step… For years, parents have been raising concerns about the toxicity of commercial baby formulas, from excessive sugar and seed oils to synthetic additives that do not belong in an infant’s diet.”

HHS’ Infertility Initiative launched in October of 2026 to analyze nationally representative health data and convene a quality improvement collaborative of healthcare organizations and providers to assess how infertility, related conditions, and treatments affect maternal and infant-linked health outcomes.

• Quotes:
  • Endocrine Society President, Nanette Santoro, via press release: “We’re grateful to the First Lady and President for recognizing that women’s health has been overlooked and underfunded for far too long. This initiative provides an important opportunity to accelerate scientific discovery, improve patient care and advance the health and well-being of women nationwide, goals the Endocrine Society share with the White House.”
  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer, Sean Tipton, via press release: “It is absolutely the case that more research is needed in order to support the health of women and girls throughout their lifetimes. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine applauds the administration’s interest in improving health outcomes, and we look forward to working together to ensure that the work ahead is guided by sound science and medical evidence.”
  • Americans for IVF Chairman, Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, via press release: “We thank President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for elevating women’s health and explicitly including infertility in this important initiative. Behind this issue are women and families carrying tremendous heartache, uncertainty, and financial strain. We hope this commitment will move us closer to a future in which every woman who needs fertility treatment has a meaningful opportunity to receive it. We welcome this step and look forward to working together to turn its promise into meaningful results.”
  • Kimberly Fletcher, Founder and President of Moms for America via press release: “I am deeply grateful to President Trump and first lady Melania Trump for making women's health a national priority. Healthy mothers mean healthy families, and healthy families mean a stronger America.”
  • Moms for America Vice President, Debbie Kraulidis, via press release: “As a mother living with an autoimmune disease, this is deeply personal to me. So many women quietly battle chronic illness while caring for their children and families. We deserve answers, earlier diagnoses and treatments that give us our quality of life back. I am especially grateful to first lady Melania Trump for making sure women's health concerns are heard at the highest levels of government.”
  • HealthyWomen CEO, Beth Battaglino, via press release: “This order is an important step in mobilizing federal agencies around women’s health, and it builds on longstanding bipartisan efforts.”

Fertility medicine discounts through TrumpRx: Launched in February 2026, TrumpRx.gov provides patients with access to discounts (most-favored-nation (MFN) price) on prescription medications, including drugs for infertility and reproductive health conditions that uniquely impact women. There are a range of medical treatments that exist to address ovulatory dysfunction, hormonal imbalances, insulin resistance, or excess weight may improve fertility outcomes.

The Trump Administration is also confronting the high cost of prescription drugs. Through Most-Favored-Nation pricing agreements with 17 major pharmaceutical manufacturers, we have secured substantial relief on many of the country's most widely used medicines. With the launch of TrumpRx.gov, patients now have direct access to lower drug prices in line with those paid by other developed nations. We remain committed to increasing price transparency and ending surprise billing so that families are never caught off guard by unexpected costs.

From the WH Fact Sheet: Massive savings on some of the most commonly used fertility medications in the country to help families grow. Many patients struggling with infertility pay for their medicines out-of-pocket, meaning they will stand to save more than $2,000 per cycle of fertility drugs, on average.

• Gonal-F, one of the most commonly used fertility drugs, will see its price reduced to as low as $168 per pen, depending on dosage strength.
• The price of Cetrotide, another commonly used fertility medicine, will drop from $316 to $22.50.
• The price of Ovidrel will fall from $251 to $84.
• Headlines:
  • The Guardian: Fertility treatment given special emphasis as Trump Rx site goes live
  • New York Post: TrumpRx website launches as prez vows Americans will ‘save a fortune’ on everything from Ozempic to fertility treatments
  • The Conservateur: President Trump Is Expanding Access to Fertility Care Through TrumpRX
  • Evernorth Health Services: Evernorth partners with TrumpRx to expand access to low-cost fertility treatments for American families
  • EMD Serono: EMD Serono Announces Unprecedented Agreement with U.S. Government to Expand Access to IVF Therapies
  • CVS Health: CVS Health Helps Improve Access to More Affordable Fertility Treatments
• Quotes:
  • Evernorth Health Services Senior Vice President of Home Pharmacy and Virtual Care, Heather Dlugolenski, via press release: “For people building their families, timing, affordability and trust matter deeply…We share President Trump’s vision to reduce the costs of prescription drugs for American patients. Through our partnership with TrumpRx, we are providing another important gateway to making IVF and fertility treatment more accessible and affordable.”
  • Merck CEO and Member of the Executive Board, Danny Bar-Zohar, via press release: “As a result of our collaboration with President Trump and his Administration, more families across the United States can now access and benefit from IVF innovation, and hopefully fulfill their dream of starting or expanding their family…Gonal-f is the most prescribed follicle stimulating hormone in the U.S., and our full portfolio of IVF therapies has supported over 6 million successful births worldwide.”
  • CVS Health Senior Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer, Lucille Accetta, RPh, via press release: “Fertility medications often require special administration and high-touch expertise. We are proud to join the President to help make every step of the journey as simple as possible for families by providing nationwide access…We are committed to being America’s most trusted health care company as we strive to continually improve affordability and access to medicine for families everywhere.”
  • CVS Health via LinkedIn: “CVS Health will be a core partner to the TrumpRx Fertility program through our Specialty Pharmacy. As the Trump Administration continues to establish more competitive prices for important medicines, we are doing our part, creating more affordable access to families across the country who need fertility medications.”
  • American Society for Reproductive Medicine Chief Advocacy and Policy Officer, Sean Tipton, via press release: “We are pleased to see fertility medications included in the TrumpRx portal. There is no question that lower drug costs will be helpful for patients navigating fertility treatment, including in vitro fertilization (IVF).”
  • The Conservateur team via editorial: “President Trump pledged to confront rising prescription drug prices and his administration is now delivering meaningful relief to women struggling with infertility. With TrumpRx.gov officially live, Americans can directly purchase prescription drugs at discounted prices, including fertility medications that are typically paid for out of pocket. This new approach is expanding access and putting families first…For women navigating infertility, these changes are deeply personal. Many patients pay thousands of dollars per cycle for fertility medications alone. Under this new initiative, patients struggling with infertility will save more than two thousand dollars per cycle on average, dramatically reducing one of the biggest barriers to treatment and family building. The savings on individual medications are significant…With TrumpRx.gov now live and expanding, this administration is sending a clear message: building a family should not depend on financial privilege. For women hoping to become mothers, these reforms offer renewed hope, expanded access, and a future that feels more within reach.”
  • Mark Cuban, Co-Founder of Cost Plus Drugs and American businessman via X: “They crushed it on IVF drugs.  That’s going to be a lifesaver for a lot of couples…I just want lower drug and healthcare prices.  This was a positive step forward. When they get it right, I’m happy to say so.”
  • Mark Cuban, Co-Founder of Cost Plus Drugs and American businessman via X: “TrumpRx is not a scam… They have done a great job on IVF and GLP1s. If it allows a couple to afford to grow their family or to afford the GLP1 they need, it’s a win.”
  • Dr. Marc Seigel, Medical Analyst at Fox News via broadcast: “Another key to the TrumpRx is were looking at drugs that you can’t get any other way. Fertility treatments, insurance doesn’t cover...”
  • Meghan Elinor, political commentator via X: “President Trump just launched http://TrumpRx.gov – bringing the WORLD’S LOWEST prices on prescription drugs straight to you! No more insane Big Pharma prices. We’re talking massive savings on essential meds (think diabetes, weight loss, fertility treatments & more).”

HRSA Awards Nearly $13 Million to Expand Access to Healthy Foods for Pregnant and Postpartum Women: On October 13, 2026, HRSA announced $12.7 million in Fiscal Year 2026 awards through the Maternal Produce Prescription Program (MP3) to help pregnant and postpartum women and their families in low-income and medically underserved communities access healthy foods.

• Headlines:
  • Idaho Capital Sun: ISU awarded federal grant to improve access to produce for pregnant and postpartum women
  • Mississippi Public Broadcasting: Food assistance in Southeast Mississippi is being made available for new and expecting mothers
  • Southwestern Oklahoma State University: SWOSU Receives Federal Funding for Maternal Produce Prescription Program
  • TVH11: Federal grant provides nearly $1 million to Arkansas maternal health efforts
  • UTHealth Houston: Healthy Food for Expectant Moms
  • Houma Times: START Corporation in Houma awarded nearly $500,000 in federal funding for maternal health
  • ABC 27: Local nonprofit among 3 PA organizations to receive federal funding for maternal health
• Quotes:
  • Idaho State University Institute of Rural Health Grant Project Coordinator, Kailey Blood, via Idaho Capital Sun: “It aims to increase fruit and vegetable consumption among enrolled women and their families, provide nutrition education, and strengthen the relationships between healthcare providers, community organizations, and local food systems…Eligible pregnant and postpartum women will receive a prescription to include produce in their diet, vouchers to purchase fresh produce, and nutrition education.”
  • UTHealth Houston Cizik School of Nursing Department of Research Professor, Daphne Hernandez, PhD, MSEd, via press release: “Food can be seen as medicine, and improved diets can reduce chronic conditions…Supporting a healthy diet for pregnant women can have long-term benefits for moms and their babies.”
  • Southwestern Oklahoma State University Counseling and Health Services Director, Abagail Walker, via press release: “This funding allows us to make healthy food and other resources easier to access for women and families in rural western Oklahoma…We want to meet women where they are, reduce some of the barriers they may be facing, and make sure they feel supported throughout pregnancy and postpartum.”
  • University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Associate Director of Community Programs Center for Women and Infants’ Health, Bonnie Faitak, via THV11: “We want to make sure that the services that we're providing and the food that we're providing meet the parents' needs in the areas that they're in…We’re always thrilled to get to help moms in Arkansas…And this is really a merger of some of my personal passions of helping moms and improving health and food security for women and families.”

Launched Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit Program to Support Mothers and Babies: On October 9, 2026, HHS launched the Newborn Essentials Support Toolkit (NEST) Program at West Virginia University Medicine Golisano Children’s Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia, marking the next phase of a federal initiative designed to support mothers and babies during the critical first days and weeks after birth. Led by HHS through the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs (IEA) in coordination with the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), NEST provides families with a one-time kit of essential newborn and postpartum supplies, maternal health items, and trusted information and resources around the time of birth.

• Headlines:
  • WV Metro News: Federal program to help young families rolls out in Morgantown
  • WDTV: Nest Program Launches in West Virginia, delivering newborn supply kits to 2,000 families
  • West Virginia Public Broadcasting: NEST Program Helps Welcome Babies to Mountain State
  • WV News: West Virginia first state to receive kits in national newborn support program
  • WBOY: Morrisey announces program providing new mothers with essentials
  • Medical Daily: New HHS Newborn Kits Include Blood Pressure Monitor for Mothers, Starting at West Virginia Children’s Hospital
  • American Hospital Association: HHS launches program providing essential newborn, postpartum supply kits
  • Valley Health: Valley Health Joins Inaugural West Virginia NEST Partners to Support New Parents and Babies
• Quotes:
  • Gov. Patrick Morrisey via press release: “Every child deserves the strongest possible start in life, and that begins with making sure mothers and families have the support they need when they welcome a new baby…NEST brings together practical resources and important health information at a time when they can make a real difference for both mother and child.”
  • Gov. Patrick Morrisey via WV Metro News: “Those who need it most are going to be able to get this wonderful benefit…This provides moms and newborn babies with important supplies and information.”
  • Gov Patrick Morrisey via WDTV: “You know, one of the things I think this shows is that if you’re pro-life, it’s important to make sure you’re taking care of babies after they’re born…And this is a good example of that. When babies come into the world and you have moms and families that are struggling, and they have a lack of ability to make ends meet or be able to afford a lot of these kits, this is going to be a real boost for them.”
  • WVU Medicine Princeton Community Hospital President and CEO, Karen Bowling, via WV Metro News: “The NEST Program does represent exciting power, and I think that’s an extremely important word here…A public, private partnership, and that’s what it means—all of us here working to make a difference.”
  • Valley Health Vice President of Health Affairs and Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Matthew Christiansen, via press release: “Welcoming a baby brings joy, but it can also bring financial pressures and a lot of uncertainty for parents…Having essential supplies and trusted information ready when families need them can ease some of that stress. We’re excited to be one of West Virginia’s inaugural NEST partners and help parents and babies in our communities get a healthy start together.”

NIH launches $21 Million Initiative to Improve Understanding of Sex-Specific Hormonal Biology: In September 2026, NIH announced its launch of a research program aimed at spurring the development of computer-based methods that model and simulate the self-regulating processes of human hormones, known as hormone homeostasis, tailored to one’s sex-specific biology. This program will use new approaches in computational modeling for deeper investigations into how sex influences treatment response.

• Headlines:
  • Rutgers University: Rutgers Researchers Partner on Project to Track How Drugs Interact with Female Hormones
  • University of Michigan: NIH Initiative Supports U-M Development of Personalized Models that Link Hormones, the Microbiome, and Therapeutic Efficiency
  • MSU TODAY: NIH Awards Multi-University Team over $4M to improve women’s health
  • FemTech Insider: NIH commits $21 Million to Research Women’s Hormonal Biology
  • Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech leads Multimillion Dollar Project for Women’s Health
• Quotes:
  • Teresa K Woodruff, leader of Michigan State project via press release: “Developing computational models that provide insights into women’s health — including the consequences of disease, efficacy and side effects of medicines — and integrate age and reproductive cycle stage is a moon shot…Our world-class team is taking on this project to enable a generation of healthier women.”
  • University of Michigan Biomedical Engineering Associate Professor, Kelly Arnold, via press release: “The idea is that this modeling framework will help us understand how hormones contribute to therapeutic responses…That could include differences between women and men, pre- and postmenopausal women, women who use hormonal contraceptives and those who do not, or younger and older men.”
  • University of California San Diego Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences Professor and Vice Chair, Marianna Alperin, via press release: “For a clinician, the ability to better understand how and why tissues change across different stages of a woman’s life could fundamentally change how we think about women’s health…The long-term goal is to turn that understanding into better ways to anticipate problems, prevent them when possible, and improve treatment.”
  • Virginia Tech Department of Mechanical Engineering Professor and urogynecologist, Raffaella De Vita, via press release: “What excites me most about this opportunity is the chance to ask a much bigger question: If we had all the data in the world, could we build a model that predicts how hormonal changes reshape vaginal tissue over time?... I do not want to simply apply the computational tools we already have. I want the biological questions to push us to develop new mathematical, computational, and AI-enabled approaches — and then use those approaches to generate knowledge about women’s health that we could not obtain from experiments or data alone.”
  • Kayla Barnes-Lentz, female longevity researcher via X: “FINALLY!”

HRSA Awards More Than $525 Million to Strengthen and Expand Evidence-Based Home Visiting Services Nationwide: HRSA announced more than $525 million in fiscal year (FY) 2026 Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting (MIECHV) Program awards to 56 state and jurisdiction recipients — the largest federal investment in the program’s history. The awards will expand access to evidence-based home visiting services that improve maternal and child health, promote healthy child development, and connect families with the support they need during pregnancy and early childhood.

• Headlines:
  • Valley News Live: North Dakota receives nearly $2.9 Million in Federal Funding for Home Visit Services
  • WV NEWS: West Virginia gets $8.1 Million for maternal, child home visiting services
  • Spectrum News: Missouri Awarded $7.4 Million For Maternal and Child Health
  • St. Louis American: Missouri gets $5.7M to support mothers, babies
  • Wyoming Public Media: Wyoming gets federal money for home visit program for new moms
  • Moultrie News: Federal Funding for Maternal, Child Healthcare in SC
  • The Journal Record: Oklahoma Receives $9.5 Million to Expand Home-Visiting Services.
  • ABC27: PA Receives $18.7 Million in Federal Funding for Maternal and Child Healthcare
  • KGAN: Iowa gets $8 Million in Federal Funding for Home Visiting Programs, largest in US.
  • Idaho Department of Health & Welfare: Idaho receives nearly $5 million to further strengthen home visiting services and keep children with their families
  • Calhoun Journal: Alabama Receives More Than $10 Million in Federal Funding for Family Home Visiting Programs
  • Oregon Faith Report: Oregon receives $10M in home visiting services
• Quotes:
  • Sen. Jon Husted via press release: “Healthy families are the cornerstone of a strong America. From supporting healthy pregnancies and child development to investing in our communities and helping small businesses grow, these investments make a real difference for Ohio families and workers.”
  • EveryStep Vice President of Community Health Services, Molly Gosselink via KGAN: “The needs are great here in Polk County [Iowa] because we have a really big population…We’re the most populated area in the state so that’s when you see, ‘Oh yeah, they have a big program.’ We also have a really big portion of the population, so needs are a little different.”
  • Idaho Department of Health & Welfare Deputy Director, Monty Prow, via press release: “Idaho’s leaders have made a significant commitment to helping families earlier, before challenges become crises…We are grateful to Gov. Little and the Legislature for investing in prevention, and we’re grateful for federal partners who are helping us build on that work. These investments give Idaho more tools to strengthen families, support parents, and help children remain safely with their families whenever possible.”

CMS Announced Nearly $55 Million to Expand Rural Maternal and Emergency Care, Cancer Screening, and Alabama’s Rural Healthcare Workforce: On October 1, 2026, CMS announced today that nearly $55 million in federal funding is being delivered to strengthen the rural healthcare workforce and expand access to maternal, emergency, and preventive care for Alabamians through the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP). Projects will equip at least 20 rural hospitals with emergency labor and delivery resources; expand maternal-fetal medicine through telehealth and telerobotic ultrasound; strengthen trauma and stroke coordination and EMS treat-in-place services; expand mobile and community-based cancer screening; and build statewide healthcare workforce pipelines through Alabama's schools and community colleges.

• Headlines:
  • Healthcare Innovation Group: Nearly $55M Targets Rural Maternal Care, EMS and Cancer Screening in Alabama
  • WBRC: Nearly $55 million awarded to boost healthcare access across rural Alabama
  • ABC 33/40: Alabama Awards Nearly $55 Million in Additional Rural Health Grants
  • Calhoun Journal: Alabama Awards Nearly $55 Million in Rural Healthcare Grants, Including Funding for Piedmont Emergency Rescue Squad
  • Yellow Hammer: Governor Ivey awards nearly $55 million in new rural health grants funded by Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill across Alabama
• Quotes:
  • Gov. Kay Ivey via press release: “I commend all the thoughtful efforts, from the federal policymakers and state administrators to our professional healthcare leaders, who are working hard to ensure the long-term success of this program. Once again, the Trump Administration is delivering meaningful results for real Americans.”
  • Sen. Katie Boyd Britt via press release: “Investing in rural healthcare is crucial to improving health outcomes and patient care across Alabama, which is why I'm thrilled to see this latest round of grant funding. I'm thankful to President Trump and CMS Administrator Dr. Oz for prioritizing rural healthcare.”
  • Sen. Tommy Tuberville via press release: “I appreciate President Trump making another extraordinary investment in our great state that will improve healthcare and expand opportunities for many Alabamians, especially those living in rural areas.”
  • Rep. Barry Moore via press release: “This nearly $55 million investment will strengthen maternal and fetal care, emergency medical services, cancer screening and early detection, our rural healthcare workforce, and the technology providers rely on to serve their patients. I’m grateful to President Trump, Dr. Oz, and the Administration for working with Alabama to make these practical investments and help ensure Alabamians can receive quality care closer to home.”
  • Rep. Mike Rogers via press release: “Rural healthcare is an issue that affects every Alabamian, and these grants from the Trump Administration will greatly improve outcomes for patients in our state. Rural counties have never had a stronger ally in the White House.”
  • Rep. Dale Strong via press release: “For rural communities across Alabama, this investment means better care closer to home, a stronger pipeline of doctors and nurses, expanded mental health services, and stronger rural hospitals and health care providers.”
  • Rep. Robert Aderholt via press release: “I’m grateful to the Trump Administration for continuing to ensure that our rural hospitals have the resources they need to remain open and serve their communities. This funding is making a meaningful difference for rural communities across Alabama by supporting maternal and fetal health care, emergency medical services, cancer screenings, and rural health care workforce development. I’m proud to have voted for this historic investment, and I look forward to seeing it help ensure that Alabamians continue to receive quality health care.”
  • Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs Director, Kenneth Boswell, via WBRC: “The goal of improving rural healthcare in Alabama is of utmost importance, and we are grateful to Governor Ivey and the Legislature for their confidence in ADECA to administer this program…The projects announced today as well as those announced earlier hold great potential for improving healthcare in a wide range of areas, and we look forward to seeing the progress as these projects move forward.”
  • Alabama Hospital Association President, Danne Howard via AL.com: “I think that there is potential for this to be helpful…We are cautiously optimistic, and there’s absolute opportunity to increase access to care for rural communities.”

HHS National Conference on Women’s Health: In March 2026, HHS convened the first-ever National Conference on Women’s Health, which brought together researchers, clinicians, policy experts, and health advocates to advance the latest research in women’s health and close longstanding gaps in care. That includes taking on the chronic disease epidemic and reproductive health conditions that have long been dismissed or overlooked, from PCOS to endometriosis to uterine fibroids. American women deserve answers, and this Administration is committed to improving women’s health outcomes.

• Headlines:
  • The Daily Signal: HHS Highlights Women’s Health in a New Way
  • Natural Womanhood: HHS National Conference on Women’s Health highlights root-cause care and investment in women’s health
  • Society for Women’s Health Research: Inside the HHS National Women’s Health Conference
  • World: HHS spotlights “invisible illnesses” at new women’s health conference
• Quotes:
  • American Medical Women’s Association via press release: “As one of the nation’s oldest organizations dedicated to advancing women physicians and improving women’s health, AMWA welcomed the opportunity to contribute to these discussions and connect with leaders from across the health ecosystem. For AMWA and its partners, the conference represents a promising step toward sustained national attention on the health issues affecting women and the clinicians who care for them.”
  • American Urological Association via X: “The AUA is proud to announce a new formal partnership with the @HHSGov, including the Office of the Deputy Secretary for Women’s Health, @US_FDA, and @CDCgov. This partnership establishes a coordinated federal–professional society effort to advance awareness, education, and evidence-based clinical practice related to GSM, recurrent urinary tract infections, and the safe, appropriate use of vaginal estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women. Thank you @MaureenCones for making the monumental announcement at the HHS National Conference on Women’s Health.”
  • Progyny via press release: “Progyny, Inc., a global leader in women’s health and family building solutions, announced today that Chief Medical Officer Janet Choi, MD, will present new fertility research during the first annual Health and Human Services (HHS) National Conference on Women’s Health… Progyny’s participation in the conference represents the company’s role in contributing to and helping shape the national conversation on advancing women’s health. As a recognized leader in fertility, family building, and women’s health benefits, Progyny has spent the past decade partnering with employers, health plans, and clinical leaders to elevate the standard of care, improve outcomes for women and families, and advance innovation. The company has one of the largest data sets on fertility in the U.S., providing a unique ability to gather insights that can improve health outcomes.”
  • Society for Women’s Health Research Public Policy and Advocacy Manager, Madelyn Adams, MPA, via release: “All in all, the conference covered a broad spectrum of issues that are often sidelined in conversations about women’s health – like cardiovascular health, cognitive health, and mental health – while placing particular and repeated emphasis on key stages of the women’s health lifecycle, such as fertility, menopause, and hormone-related care. This signaled a growing recognition that women’s health is not limited to conditions unique to the female sex but rather applies to all aspects of the body across the lifespan. Taken together, these discussions reflect a broader shift toward prevention, earlier intervention, and more coordinated systems of care. This approach aligns with an increasing focus on addressing root causes and supporting women’s health needs comprehensively at every stage of life, rather than responding to issues only once they become acute.”
  • Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck Senior Policy Advisor and Counsel, Deema Tarazi, via LinkedIn: “This week I attended the HHS National Conference on Women's Health and was fascinated by the research and steps toward the future of women's health that were presented. The areas that stood out were the growing emphasis on preventative care and chronic disease management, and a long-overdue spotlight on coronary heart disease in women. Researchers, clinicians, federal health leaders, patient advocates, and philanthropists who spoke during the conference emphasized the need to listen to women regarding their health. As a woman who works in health care policy and advocacy, these discussions are a reminder of why this work matters. Understanding the science behind these issues and the federal momentum building around them only sharpens our ability to work with the decision-makers driving change.”
  • Angela Stanton King, maternal health advocate via X: “Proud to be part of the conversation at the @HHSgov National Conference on Women's Health. During National Women's Health Week, I’m continuing to help spotlight important conversations around #WomensHealth & wellness alongside @HHSOWH.”
  • Naomi Whittaker, restorative reproductive surgeon and educator via X: “Overjoyed the first-ever HHS National Conference on Women’s Health is addressing a fundamental yet long-overlooked topic: the difference between synthetic vs. bioidentical hormones. This distinction is crucial—yet often missing from research literature—leaving a major gap when translating hormone science into real clinical care.”
  • Ali Rogin, PBS News correspondent via Facebook: “This was a very unique event in terms of what I have seen out of HHS…This was laser focused on issues that are important to advocates in women’s health and women in general. They included lots of talk about heart disease – the number one killer of women. There was talk about hormones and menopause. There was a lot of talk about autoimmune diseases. And many speakers, including administration officials, decried the lack of focus on women’s health issues and the disparities in funding for research affecting women’s health issues.”
  • Problematic Women Co-Host, Morgonn McMichael via X: “Prioritizing women's health really means stronger families, healthier communities and a better future, especially when it's MAHA. And that's why conversations like these are so important.”