Since the establishment of the HHS Coordinating Committee on Women's Health (CCWH) in 1984, we have made significant strides in improving the physical and mental health of women in the United States. Along with the U.S. Congress, the White House, and millions of women, health care providers, and researchers, the agencies and offices represented on the Committee played a key role in these achievements. Together we have improved access to health care, implemented new programs, developed or funded new treatments and screening techniques, executed key policy changes, approved lifesaving vaccines, issued landmark reports, and much more.
In May 1983, the HHS Assistant Secretary for Health appointed the first-ever task force to identify women's health issues and to identify an action plan on women's health. The Public Health Service Task Force on Women's Health was the precursor to the CCWH.
In honor of the Committee's 30th anniversary in 2014, we highlight here 30 of the most noteworthy achievements in women's health between 1984 and 2014. These achievements include everything from improvements in breast cancer screening to the inclusion of women in clinical trials to the approval of an HPV vaccine and the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. To see a comprehensive list of milestones in women's health over the last 30 years, see the timeline (PDF, 338 KB) created by the CCWH. Join us in celebrating our anniversary by learning more about how together we have changed the course of women's health and where we can go in the future.
Nancy Lee, M.D.
(Former) Chair, Coordinating Committee on Women's Health
(Former) Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health – Women's Health
(Former) Director, Office on Women's Health