>Subj: another terrifying Bush move for women
>
>Begin forwarded message:
>
> > I wanted to alert you to the appointment Bush is making.
> > Please take time to read and act on the following, and to alert your
>friends.
> > This is very important for all the women in our country and will impact on
> > many decisions regarding women's health. Please don't put this aside.
> > Whether you're Right or Left on the issue of women's reproductive rights,
> > please consider the following...
> >
> > 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. 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.
> >
> > 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@whitehouse.gov
> > 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."
> >
> > Dhevi Kumar
> > Director
> > Teen Health Initiative
> > New York Civil Liberties Union
> >
> > 125 Broad Street, 17th Floor
> > New York, NY 10004
> > Phone: 212.344.3005 x241
> > Fax: 212.344.3318
> > Email: dkumar@nyclu.org
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sat Mar 01 2003 - 01:00:06 PST