A welcome step for women’s health research, and the details that matter next
On 7 October, the Norwegian Government proposed doubling its earmarked funding for women’s health research, from NOK 20 million to NOK 40 million in 2027. Women in Life Science Norway (WiLD Norway) welcomes this proposal.
What the Proposal Includes
The proposed doubling of earmarked funding is the clearest and most targeted women’s health item in the proposal. It is included in addition to ordinary research funding [1, 2], and sits alongside a proposed NOK 333 million for a new life science initiative, including biotechnology and neurotechnology [3, 4].
Women’s health is a leadership question. Our Nordic white paper, From Talent to Power, written with WiLD Denmark and VILDA Sweden, links the leadership gap to the women’s health gap: those in leadership and financial roles help shape which research is prioritized and which innovations are funded [5]. Decisions about research funding are leadership decisions, which is why the detail of this proposal matters.
What It Does Not Yet Specify
The proposition does not indicate how the NOK 40 million will be divided between diagnoses, research communities or initiatives. They also list no dedicated new amounts for areas such as endometriosis, fertility, or menopause, although related items appear, including:
midwife consultations (NOK 120 million) and
a pilot of integrated pregnancy, birth and postpartum care [2].
The research projects are expected to be awarded through the Research Council of Norway, so further detail may follow. This builds on the NOK 90 million allocated earlier this year through the Research Council [4].
In addition to these measures, the Government has proposed approximately NOK 3.1 billion to support increased hospital activity, mainly linked to a growing and aging population. It also proposes NOK 3.2 billion of growth in free income for municipalities and county councils, leaving approximately NOK 500 million of room after demographic costs [2].
These funds may support areas such as gynecology, maternity care and cancer treatment. However, they are not earmarked for women’s health. A free service to protect infants against RS virus is also proposed, a welcome development for families [2].
What We Would Like to See Next
WiLD Norway would like to see:
Clarity on how the NOK 40 million will be allocated, enabling researchers, clinicians and patient organizations to plan.
Breadth, with attention to women’s health across life stages, including areas for which the proposal specifies no separate amounts.
Transparency on how general health funding reaches women’s health services.
As we highlighted in 2025, the priority is moving from planning to action [6].
Women’s health remains a shared Nordic priority, as the Nordic Charter for Women’s Health 2040 shows [7]. WiLD Norway brings together women and men from corporate, academic and healthcare sectors, and we would welcome the opportunity to contribute that perspective as the proposal moves through the Storting, Norway’s parliament.
The budget remains a proposal, as it continues through formal processes. We invite readers to share with us which areas of women’s health they believe should be prioritized.
Because every ceiling reached becomes a new floor.
Sources
Ministry of Health and Care Services, “Dobler øremerkede midler til kvinnehelseforskning”, regjeringen.no, 7 Oct 2026: https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/dobler-oremerkede-midler-til-kvinnehelseforskning/id3174120/
Prop. 1 S (2026–2027), Ministry of Health and Care Services, pp. 13, 21, 26, 30, 31, 52, 277–278, 290, 339 (printed page numbers): https://www.regjeringen.no/no/dokumenter/prop.-1-s-20262027/id3175316/
Meld. St. 1 (2026–2027), Nasjonalbudsjettet 2027, pp. 7–8, 48
Ministry of Education and Research, “Storsatsing på realfag og teknologi”, regjeringen.no, 7 Oct 2026: https://www.regjeringen.no/no/aktuelt/storsatsing-pa-realfag-og-teknologi/id3174274/
WiLD Norway, “From talent to power”: https://www.wildnorway.org/news/from-talent-to-power
WiLD Norway, “Women’s Health: Moving from Reports to Action”: https://www.wildnorway.org/news/health2bseminar
WiLD Norway, “A Shared Vision for Women’s Health Across the Nordics”: https://www.wildnorway.org/news/womenshealth2040