Milken Institute Launches Women's Health Network with Jill Biden as Chair

The Milken Institute has announced the creation of a Women's Health Network, chaired by former first lady Jill Biden, aimed at advancing research and investment in women's health. This initiative comes as a response to the historical underfunding and understudying of women's health issues, despite women comprising half of the global population.

Network Objectives and Structure

The Women's Health Network seeks to engage a diverse array of stakeholders, including research institutions, startups, corporations, investors, policymakers, and health systems. Its primary goals are to:

1. Pool private sector funding for women's health research and startups
2. Create a digital platform for knowledge sharing among network members
3. Focus on conditions disproportionately affecting women, such as Alzheimer's disease, menopause, endometriosis, and heart disease

Esther Krofah, executive vice president of Milken Institute Health, emphasized the network's unique focus on private sector involvement, stating, "What is unique and different about our interest and focus here, which is really about the private sector stepping up, the private sector providing investment, the provider sector responding to the business case and really helping to finance these companies."

Funding Initiatives and Research Support

The network has outlined several key initiatives for its inaugural year:

• Designing a condition-agnostic research fund with a targeted fundraising goal
• Funding proof-of-concept projects to support novel treatment development
• Establishing a digital support platform to assist organizations with due diligence, investor preparations, and legal support services

These efforts aim to address the gaps in women's health research and provide much-needed resources to scientists and entrepreneurs in the field.

Political Context and Future Outlook

While the network is chaired by former Democratic first lady Jill Biden, Krofah emphasized its nonpartisan nature. The initiative builds upon Biden's previous work in women's health, including her efforts during her time in the White House, which contributed $1 billion to women's health research through various government agencies.

The launch of the Women's Health Network comes at a critical time, as the pharmaceutical industry faces challenges such as grant cuts at the National Institutes of Health and funding freezes to certain universities. Krofah stressed the importance of private sector involvement, stating, "We believe now more than ever is an important time for all parts of the ecosystem to step up... the private sector is recognizing that their voice, their dollars, their investment are needed now more than ever before."

As the Women's Health Network begins its operations, it represents a significant step towards addressing the longstanding disparities in women's health research and treatment development. By leveraging private sector resources and expertise, the initiative aims to catalyze progress in a field that has historically been underserved by traditional research funding mechanisms.