Mandate that women comprise at least 50% of participants in government-funded heart disease studies.

Women MUST be included in all relevant cardiovascular studies if we are to effectively treat and educate women who have or are at risk of developing heart disease and stroke. According to the American Heart Association, today, women comprise only 24 percent of participants in all heart-related studies; yet cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of U.S women, even when factoring in all cancers combined. Our proposed solution will help place the focus on how heart disease affects women and how it often presents differently in women than in men. The goal is not to create a burden on researchers but to bring awareness to this American crisis that will affect our nation for generations to come.