Susan Wood

Susan F. Wood

Susan Wood

Associate Professor of Health Policy and of Environmental and Occupational Health, and Executive Director, The Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health, Milken Institute School of Public Health


Susan Wood is an Associate Professor of Health Policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, and Director of the Jacobs Institute of Women’s Health Services where her work and public advocacy focuses on the use of scientific knowledge in public policy. She previously was Assistant Commissioner for Women’s Health at the FDA, and directed the FDA Office of Women’s Health from 2000-2005 when she resigned on principle over continued delay of approval of emergency contraception over-the-counter. Prior to her time at FDA, Dr. Wood was Director of Policy and Program Development at the US Dept of Health and Human Services’ Office on Women’s Health. Previously, Dr. Wood was a research scientist at John Hopkins University School of Medicine; she received her PhD in biology from Boston University. She has published a number of research articles in scientific journals, as well as articles on health policy.

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