Gwenn’s Law
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7694
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Health
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-02-25: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-21T17:01:04Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose of the Legislation
This bill, titled "Gwenn's Law," directs the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to promote greater involvement of women in medical research, with a focus on clinical trials and rare diseases. It aims to boost awareness and coordination efforts related to conditions that disproportionately affect women, such as certain bleeding and clotting disorders.
Key Provisions Outlined
- Public Awareness Campaigns:
- Requires the Secretary of HHS, acting through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director, to run a campaign increasing women's participation in NIH-supported clinical trials, with targeted outreach at hospitals, clinics, and similar sites.
- Prioritizes campaigns for trials on rare diseases and conditions.
- Authorizes $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for this effort.
- Awareness of Bleeding and Clotting Disorders:
- Mandates a separate HHS campaign to increase women's participation in HHS programs on research, surveillance, and prevention of bleeding and clotting disorders, including hemophilia.
- Authorizes $10,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
- Interagency Task Force:
- Amends the Public Health Service Act to establish a permanent Interagency Task Force on Advancing Treatments for Rare Diseases.
- Composition includes the HHS Secretary, heads of CMS, FDA, NIH, and CDC, plus appointees from biopharmaceutical innovators, health plans, research institutions, and rare disease advocacy groups.
- Duties involve assessing federal activities on rare diseases, reviewing funding, and coordinating incentives for research and product development, especially for conditions impacting women.
- Action Plan:
- Requires the HHS Secretary to develop a plan for coordinating HHS efforts to incentivize research and development for rare diseases disproportionately affecting women.
- Mandates submission to Congress and public posting on HHS and NIH websites within 180 days of enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law Introduced
- Creates a new statutory task force under the Public Health Service Act, expanding interagency coordination on rare diseases beyond current structures.
- Introduces mandatory public awareness campaigns and an action plan, which are not required under prior law.
- Authorizes specific multi-year funding appropriations for the campaigns.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: Increases responsibilities for HHS, NIH, FDA, CDC, and CMS in outreach, coordination, and reporting; requires the task force to assess and align agency activities.
- On Citizens: Aims to enhance access to clinical trials and information for women, particularly those with rare diseases, potentially improving diagnosis, treatment, and prevention options.
- On International Relations: No direct provisions or effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Women participating in or eligible for clinical trials and health programs.
- Patients and advocacy groups focused on rare diseases.
- Biopharmaceutical companies and research institutions involved in federally funded work.
- Federal agencies within HHS.
- Health plan administrators.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Operates within existing federal public health authority under the Public Health Service Act, with no apparent constitutional conflicts.
- Involves new interagency mechanisms and funding authorizations that could influence resource allocation across agencies.
- Requires public reporting and transparency for the action plan, potentially affecting oversight by Congress.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5]
Cosponsors (3)
Rep. Pettersen, Brittany [D-CO-7], Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17], Rep. Fitzpatrick, Brian K. [R-PA-1]
Recent Actions
- 2026-02-25: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-02-25: Introduced in House
- 2026-02-25: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Gwenn’s Law — issued 2026-02-25 — PDF (6 pages)