New Act Authorizes $30M Annually for Fibroid Research, Targets Health Disparities in Women’s Health

The Stephanie Tubbs Jones Uterine Fibroid Research and Education Act of 2025 is tackling a massive, often-ignored women’s health issue: uterine fibroids. If you know someone who’s dealt with heavy bleeding, chronic pain, or fertility issues, they might be one of the estimated 15 million symptomatic women in the US this bill aims to help. This isn’t a small problem; the bill’s findings estimate fibroids cost the country up to $34.4 billion annually.

Putting Real Money Behind the Research

For years, fibroid research has been severely underfunded compared to its prevalence. This Act changes that by directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to significantly expand and coordinate research across the National Institutes of Health (NIH). To ensure this actually happens, the bill authorizes $30 million every year from fiscal year 2026 through 2030 for this research effort (Sec. 3). That’s a five-year commitment to finding better ways to treat a condition that is currently the leading cause of hysterectomies.

Addressing the Equity Gap

One of the sharpest points in this legislation is its focus on health equity. The bill explicitly recognizes that Black women are disproportionately affected by fibroids—experiencing more severe symptoms, developing them earlier, and facing higher rates of hospitalization and surgery. The new research efforts are mandated to specifically cover the prevalence of fibroids in Asian, Hispanic, and Black individuals (Sec. 2). This means future studies should be designed to give us the data needed to understand why these disparities exist and how to close the gap.

Fixing the Information Problem

It’s not just about research; it’s about getting good information out to the right people. The Act mandates two major information campaigns. First, HHS must create a public education program to raise awareness about fibroids, their high prevalence in minority individuals, and the full range of treatment options—crucially, highlighting non-hysterectomy treatments (Sec. 5). This is huge for the average person who may not realize their symptoms are treatable or that they have options beyond major surgery.

Second, the bill requires HHS to work with medical groups to push evidence-based care guidelines to healthcare providers (Sec. 6). These guidelines must specifically include information tailored to minority individuals and cover the full spectrum of approved treatments, including non-surgical drugs and devices. This should help shorten the average 3.6-year wait time for diagnosis and ensure fewer people are forced into unnecessary or premature hysterectomies.

Tracking the Cost of Care

Finally, the Act requires HHS to set up a system to track how much is being spent on fibroid treatment through public programs. The Secretary must report to Congress within two years on the total Federal and State spending on fibroid treatments under Medicaid (Title XIX) and CHIP (Title XXI) (Sec. 4). This data collection is essential. Right now, we know fibroids are costly, but understanding exactly how much public health programs are paying will provide crucial context for future policy decisions and help ensure that the new research and education efforts are actually improving access to care for low-income populations.