The Efforts of the NWHN
Created by Nedrat Alassani
Who Are They?
The National Women’s Health
Network is an organization that
began as a small lobbying group
in 1975 but quickly grew. Their
mission is to “ improve the health
of all women by developing and
promoting a critical analysis of
health issues in order to affect
policy and support consumer
decision-making.” They envision a
health system that “reflects the
needs of all women."
Services
The NWHN does not provide
services to women, but instead
provides “the best possible
information so that they can make
well-informed decisions about their
own health.” The information they
provide ranges from birth control
methods to personal care products
to sex drugs for women. The NWHN
is inclusive and provides data for all
women, no matter the demographic.
Challenges
The NWHN, an organization with leftist views, often feels like they are being
challenged by the current administration, the Trump administration. The
Trump administration is comprised of individuals with conservative ideologies,
making the organization feel like the administration “works against [their]
goals.”
Strengths
Even though the NWHN have to deal with these challenges, they are often
able to overcome them with hardwork and determination. One of the
organization’s greatest strengths, according to Kagan, is its “motivation to
grow and adapt in order to best address women’s health issues.” The NWHN
has grown, taking on huge issues and educating themselves on various
matters for the good of women.
What the Future Holds: Goals and Initiatives
The Abortion Pill
One of the goals Kagan had mentioned was to “successfully petition the FDA
to approve mailing the abortion pill” especially with the Covid situation. On
July 14, they posted a press release stating that District Court Judge Theodore
Chuang ordered the FDA to approve their idea.
Personal Care Products
Another thing they are currently
working on is the “implementation
of greater FDA regulations of
personal care products.” Many of
these products have toxic
ingredients that are linked to health
issues, which the NWHN did not like
the sound of. The Senior Policy
Manager of the NWHN has made a
public statement on the matter,
expressing their concerns.
What the Future Holds
The NWHN,overall, is continuing to educate others on women’s health as best
as they can. They hope that by doing so, they can change the game for women
everywhere and truly make a difference.