The Men’s Health Act, a bipartisan bill to establish an office of men’s health within the Department of Health and Human Services, will be introduced in the U.S. Senate on Thursday by Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), with co-sponsorship from Roger Marshall (R-Kan.).
Mirroring the bipartisan bill that was introduced in the House this year, the measure would require a study from the Government Accountability Office on the state of men’s health in the U.S. to be presented within a year of the law’s enactment. Following the report, and incorporating its findings, the office would coordinate existing and new research and raise awareness about men’s health, both physical and mental.
While several attempts to establish such an office have been made in the past, this year’s push is gaining strong momentum, though supporters still think it may be years before legislation passes both chambers and the office is established. The House proposal is the first to have bipartisan support, plus the outspoken endorsement of the Trump administration, in particular from assistant secretary for health Admiral Brian Christine, a urologist with a two-decade practice focusing primarily on men.
“Men are facing a growing health crisis,” said Gallego in a statement to STAT. “Instead of letting men continue to struggle alone in silence, this bill would establish an Office of Men’s Health to promote preventive care and life-saving research.”
“The Senator is a combat veteran living with PTSD who has lost far too many of his Marine brothers to suicide,” said a spokesperson for Gallego. “Now, as a father raising two young boys, he wants to ensure the next generation grows up healthy, with full access to life-saving preventive care.” Gallego is especially concerned about the effects of a “tough it out” mindset that prevents men from seeking care, be it for mental health or to get routine screenings.
It’s been two decades since the last time a similar bill was considered in the Senate. Previous iterations — introduced between 2000 and 2007 — had, with one exception, only partisan support and didn’t progress through the chamber.
This time, men’s health advocates and experts believe things are different, and they see the fact that the bill has supporters from both parties in both the House and the Senate as a positive sign.
“I’m extremely excited and encouraged to see men’s health receiving bipartisan attention in the Senate. Any effort that increases awareness, improves access to evidence-based care, and supports research into men’s health disparities is an important step forward,” said Helen Bernie, director of men’s sexual and reproductive health at Indiana University, and a longtime men’s health advocate with the American Urologic Association. She cautioned that “as with any legislation, the impact will ultimately depend on implementation, sustained funding, and ensuring that recommendations translate into better health outcomes for patients.”
The American Urologic Association welcomed the bill’s introduction, too. “We look forward, with our coalition partners, to the work of adding bipartisan sponsors,” said Mark Edney, the chair of the AUA Policy Council.
STAT’s coverage of health challenges facing men and boys is supported by Rise Together, a donor advised fund sponsored and administered by National Philanthropic Trust and established by Richard Reeves, founding president of the American Institute for Boys and Men; and by the Boston Foundation. Our financial supporters are not involved in any decisions about our journalism.