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The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker fosters healthier communities and advances health equity through person-centered health research, innovative clinical trials, and evidence-based policy solutions.
Driving health equity through innovative research, clinical trials, and community-focused strategies for diverse populations.
Transforming health systems with evidence-based policies, education, and collaboration to eliminate disparities and barriers.
The Institute for Health Research & Policy at Whitman-Walker fosters healthier communities and advances health equity through person-centered health research, innovative clinical trials, and evidence-based policy solutions.
The Institute at Whitman-Walker partners with communities, government and private-sector researchers, life sciences experts, policymakers, and educators to foster health equity by dismantling structural racism, anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination, HIV stigma, and other barriers to good health and health care.
Our unique model combines rigorous research, deep health policy expertise, and insights into the daily experiences of diverse communities. The Institute’s work is galvanized by the urgent need to improve health, combat stigma and discrimination, and expand equitable access to life-saving health care for all.
Our work builds on Whitman-Walker Health’s 50-plus years of service to the Washington, D.C., area and beyond, including Whitman-Walker’s pioneering role as one of the first clinics in the nation to focus on the healthcare needs of LGBTQ+ people and people living with HIV. Our location in the nation’s capital allows us to integrate local and national perspectives into innovative strategies to address health inequities in D.C. and across the U.S.
Our dynamic research, policy, and education initiatives save lives and transform the systems that affect the daily health and well-being of the communities we serve. Here are some examples:
Over the last four years, the Institute has recruited more than 6,000 participants — including thousands of Black and Latine people, people living with HIV, and transgender people — into biomedical and public health research studies, increasing the rigor, diversity, and impact of health science research and connecting community members to the vital care and services they need.
Our policy and research teams partnered closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on a new science-based policy that eliminates the discriminatory ban on blood donation by gay and bisexual men.
The Institute worked with the D.C. Health Benefit Exchange in Washington, D.C., to ensure youth with insurance coverage through the Exchange can access mental health services for just a $5 co-pay, reducing financial barriers to care for youth and their families.
Whitman-Walker has helped lead decades of clinical trials for more than 80% of currently approved antiretroviral drug therapies, resulting in life-sustaining care for people living with HIV.
The Institute is leading the charge nationwide to protect access to evidence-based care for transgender people and expand access to health insurance and health care for all. This includes restoring and expanding critical protections under the Affordable Care Act for groups such as LGBTQ+ people; people with limited English proficiency; people with disabilities; and people seeking sexual and reproductive health care.
Our Research Department is conducting groundbreaking research studies through the PrEP Demonstration Project, New Drugs Cure Hepatitis C trials, and Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening studies, demonstrating new ways to treat and prevent disease.
The Institute drives forward data policy changes to ensure that all people count and are counted — and their privacy is protected — in government surveys, health science research, electronic medical records, and administrative data systems.
The Institute is trusted in the communities we serve and by our research, policy, and education partners. We constantly push the boundaries of scientific knowledge and advocate for policies and programs that foster health equity for all.
The Institute focuses on serving people and communities facing barriers to good health and high-quality health care.
Our work is guided by the lens of intersectionality, as coined by Professor Kimberlé Crenshaw. We understand that historical and ongoing factors such as structural racism, economic injustice, HIV stigma, and anti-LGBTQ+ bias create unique experiences of privilege and oppression for the communities we serve. We employ a justice framework to analyze these systems of oppression and expand access to health care, economic resources, legal protections, political representation, and other conditions vital for good health and well-being.
The Institute’s work includes an emphasis on:
The Institute works with diverse communities and collaborators from industry, academia, nonprofits, and government to reduce barriers to good health and advance health equity.
We are the go-to partner for rigorous health research and evidence-based policy innovation. Our unique, community-embedded model and authentic community engagement make us a trusted partner for community members, clinical trial sponsors, health science researchers, policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders dedicated to health equity.
At the Institute, we believe that research, policy, and education are medicine: they are as integral to good health and well-being as clinical care itself. We listen deeply to community voices to inform our priorities and design initiatives that contribute to scientific breakthroughs and foster environments where all people can thrive. The Institute tackles pressing health challenges through:
Here’s how.
Our health science research advances health equity and improves health outcomes for diverse communities in D.C. and across the country.
In partnership with community leaders, academic institutions, industry trial sponsors, and nonprofit organizations, the Institute leads front-line biomedical and public health research to develop new treatments and preventive strategies for conditions such as HIV and cancer.
The Institute’s recruitment experts connect patients and community members with early access to innovative clinical trials and participation in novel health research opportunities in a trusted, caring environment. Our community-focused education, outreach, and retention strategies foster diverse study populations that advance equitable representation in health science research and lead to improved outcomes for all.
Our partnership with Whitman-Walker Health also enables the Institute to participate in learning health system research that drives improvements in equitable healthcare access, quality, and outcomes for patients and communities nationwide.
The Institute works to advance health equity for underserved communities through evidence-based policy, education, and technical assistance. We engage diverse stakeholders to foster cross-sector collaboration and innovation, creating pathways to transformative, sustainable policies and programs.
Our goal is to shape the U.S. healthcare and public health systems so everyone, regardless of who they are or where they live, has access to the high-quality care and services that they need.
The Center of Excellence for LGBTQ+ Health Equity advances health equity through community-led research, policy, and education to combat discrimination and improve care for LGBTQ+ communities nationwide.
Our Biomedical Research Hub puts communities at the forefront of groundbreaking research in HIV, cancer, hepatitis, and other health challenges. We combine rigorous science and deep community engagement to end health disparities and drive life-saving scientific breakthroughs.
The Institute’s work focuses on advancing health equity – sometimes referred to as healthcare equity. Health equity means that all people are seen for who they are, treated with dignity and respect, and afforded fair and just opportunities for good health and well-being. Learn more about why health equity isn’t just good science – it’s also good economics.
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