>President Bush has announced his plan to select Dr. W. David Hager to head
>up the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Reproductive Health Drugs
>Advisory Committee. This committee has not met for more than two years,
>during which time its charter lapsed. As a result, the Bush Administration
>is tasked with filling all eleven positions with new members. This position
>does not require Congressional approval.
>
>The FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee makes crucial
>decisions on matters relating to drugs used in the practice of obstetrics,
>gynecology and related specialties, including hormone therapy,
>contraception, treatment for infertility, and medical alternatives to
>surgical procedures for sterilization and pregnancy termination.
>
>Dr. Hager, the author of "As Jesus Cared for Women: Restoring Women Then
>and Now." The book blends biblical accounts of Christ healing women with
>case studies from Hager's practice. His views of reproductive health care
>are far outside the mainstream for reproductive technology. Dr. Hager is a
>practicing OB/GYN who describes himself as "pro-life" and refuses to
>prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women. In the book Dr. Hager wrote
>with his wife, entitled "Stress and the Woman's Body," he suggests that
>women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome should seek help from reading
>the bible and praying. As an editor and contributing author of "The
>Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality Reproductive
>Technologies and the Family," Dr. Hager appears to have endorsed the
>medically inaccurate assertion that the common birth control pill is an
>abortifacient.
>
>We are concerned that Dr. Hager's strong religious beliefs may color his
>assessment of technologies that are necessary to protect women's lives or
>to preserve and promote women's health. Dr. Hager's track record of using
>religious beliefs to guide his medical decision-making makes him a
>dangerous and inappropriate candidate to serve as chair of this committee.
>Critical drug public policy and research must not be held hostage by
>anti-abortion politics.
>
>Members of this important committee should be appointed on the basis of
>science and medicine, rather than politics and religion. American women
>deserve no less.
>
>There is something you can do. Below is a letter to be sent to the White
>House, opposing the placement of Hager. Please copy all the text of this
>email and paste it into a fresh email; then sign your name below and SEND
>THIS TO EVERY PERSON YOU KNOW WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS. Every
>10th person please forward e-mail to:
>
>
>president@...
>
>
>
>I oppose the appointment of Dr. W. David Hager to the FDA Reproductive
>Health Drugs Advisory Committee. Mixing religion and medicine is
>unacceptable in a policy-making position. Using the FDA to promote a
>political agenda is inappropriate and seriously threatens women's health.
>
>Members of this important panel should be appointed on the basis of science
>and medicine, rather than politics and religion. American women
>deserve no less.
>
>1. Marika Schilling
>2. Erika Wu
>3.Mark Franco
>4.
>5.
>6.
>7.
>8.
>9.
>10.
>
>
>
>
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