On March 12, 2026, STAT News reported on H.R. 7602, the State of Men's Health Act, introduced in February by Rep. Troy Carter (D-LA) and co-sponsored by Rep. Greg Murphy, MD (R-NC). The bipartisan bill would require a GAO study on men's health outcomes and establish a dedicated Office of Men's Health within the Department of Health and Human Services — a first in federal history.
Why It Matters
Men's sexual health — ED, testosterone, fertility, prostate health, premature ejaculation — is one of the fastest-growing segments of the sex tech industry, driven by telehealth platforms like Hims, Ro, and BlueChew. A federal Office of Men's Health could accelerate research funding, destigmatize care-seeking, and create new frameworks for digital health companies targeting male sexual wellness. For an industry that's built a multi-billion-dollar business on closing the men's health gap, federal institutional support would be a tailwind.The statistics behind the legislation are stark: American men live 5.3 years less than women on average (75.8 years), die by suicide at four times the rate of women, represent the majority of diabetes patients, and experience higher cancer mortality rates. Despite these disparities, there has never been a federal office dedicated to men's health, even as the Office of Women's Health was established in the 1990s and has driven significant improvements in women's health research and services.
The bill currently has four sponsors split evenly between parties and has been assigned to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. While similar legislation has been introduced every Congressional session since 2000, this version has attracted endorsements from the American Urological Association and the American Medical Association — marking the first time major medical organizations have backed the effort.
Sources
- Men's health office proposal invites women's health comparison — STAT News
- H.R. 7602 — State of Men's Health Act — Congress.gov
Update — 2026-03-28
Initial entry — story first created.
Update — 2026-07-24
The effort took a major step forward on July 23, 2026, when the American Urological Association announced the introduction of a Senate companion to the State of Men's Health Act — the bill's first appearance in the upper chamber. The Senate version, led by Sens. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Roger Marshall, MD (R-KS), mirrors House bill H.R. 7602 and would direct HHS to stand up a federal Office of Men's Health using already-appropriated funds (creating no new entitlement or spending, and with explicit guardrails so no resources are pulled from the Office on Women's Health).
Alongside the Senate filing, the AUA launched a Men's Health Policy Alliance — a coalition uniting the AUA, Men's Health Network, ZERO Prostate Cancer, the American Institute for Boys and Men, and the Sexual Medicine Society of North America (SMSNA). The AUA framed the office around measurable outcomes: US men live nearly six years less than women, die by suicide at far higher rates, and account for an estimated $142 billion in annual premature death and disability. For urologists, the disparities show up as prostate cancer, ED, and male infertility — conditions that often serve as early indicators of broader health risk, and the exact segment telehealth players (Hims, Ro, BlueChew) have monetized. STAT News reported the bipartisan Senate filing has visibly boosted the office's momentum.