In a message dated 2/18/2003 3:10:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, CherielJ writes:

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>Subject:    this merits action!
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>President Bush has announced his plan to select Dr. W. David Hager to head up
the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Reproductive HealthDrugs Advisory
Committee. The committee has not met for more than two years,during which time
its charter has 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's views of
reproductive health care are far outside the mainstream of setback for
reproductive technology. Dr. Hager is a practicing OB/GYN who describes himself
as "pro-life" and refuses to prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women. Hager
is 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. 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. Hagar's mission is religiously motivated. He has an ardent
interest in revoking approval for mifepristone (formerly known as RU-486) as a
safe and early form of medical abortion. Hagar recently assisted the Christian
Medical Association in a "citizen's petition" which calls upon the FDA to revoke
its approval of mifepristone in the name of women's health. Hager's desire to
overturn mifepristone's approval on religious grounds rather than scientific
merit would halt the development of mifepristone as a treatment for numerous
medical conditions disproportionately affecting women, including breast cancer,
uterine cancer, uterine fibroid tumors, psychotic depression, bipolar depression
and Cushing's syndrome. Women rely on the FDA to ensure their access to safe and
effective drugs for reproductive health care including products that prevent
pregnancy.
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>For some women, such as those with certain types of diabetes and those
undergoing treatment for cancer pregnancy can be a life-threatening condition.
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. 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 antiabortion politics.
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.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? 1. SEND THIS TO EVERY PERSON WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT WOMEN'S
RIGHTS. 2. OPPOSE THE PLACEMENT OF THIS MAN BY CONTACTING THE WHITE HOUSE AND
TELL THEM HE IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE ON ANY LEVEL. Please email President Bush
at president@... or call the White House at (202) 456-1111 or (202)
456-1414 and say "I oppose the appointment of Dr. Hager to the FDA Reproductive
Health Drugs Advisory Committee. Mixing religion and medicine is unacceptable.
Using the FDA to promote a political agenda is inappropriate and seriously
threatens all women's health."
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