Is Dr. Hager, a very conservative physician, being
appointed Chair of the FDA Advisory Committee for Reproductive Health
Drugs? NO!
An old e-mail and petition on this topic was accurate
in 2001, but has continued to fill e-mail inboxes long after the
situation has changed. The e-mail incorrectly announces that President
George W. Bush intends to appoint Dr. W. David Hager to lead the
Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Advisory Committee for Reproductive
Health Drugs.
In 2001, Dr. Hager was being considered to serve
as the chair of the committee. He was appointed to the committee,
but he is not the chair-in part due to the objections of many women's
organizations and public health advocates. Instead, the advisory
committee is currently chaired by Linda C. Giudice, M.D., Ph.D.,
of Stanford University Medical Center. The committee is responsible
for evaluating the safety and effectiveness of drugs for obstetrics,
gynecology, and related specialties, including hormone therapy,
contraception, and treatment for infertility.
Although the committee
is influential, it does not have the authority to make any binding
decisions. Earlier this year, a majority of members of the committee
recommended that emergency contraception (the "morning after" pill)
be made available over-the-counter without a prescription. Dr. Hager
was one of the few committee members to vote against this recommendation.
However, the FDA ignored the advice of its advisory panel and continues
to prohibit over-the-counter sales of emergency contraception.
David Hager's seat on the advisory committee remains a concern to
many women who fear that his conservative positions on birth control
and abortion will have detrimental effects on women's health. A
strong proponent of abstinence, Hager has been accused of withholding
birth control prescriptions from unmarried women. Hager has refuted
these charges, but has stated his opposition to RU-486.
Further
information about members of the FDA's Advisory Committee for Reproductive
Health Drugs can be found at
