Pacific Views

Another resignation from Dubya's administration.

This time it's Susan Wood, who was head of the Office of Women's Health in the US Food & Drug Adminstration.

Wood quit her position resigned because of the FDA's continued refusal to make emergency contraception more easily available. The last straw for Wood was the FDA's decision last Friday to postpone indefinitely any action on making the morning-after pill (Plan B) available to women without having to get a doctor's prescription. According to the FDA, it needs to figure out how Plan B can be kept out of the hands of young teenagers. [A 'problem' we find of dubious importance, given the long experience in the US of monitoring sale of tobacco and alcohol to minors.]

"I can no longer serve as staff when scientific and clinical evidence, fully evaluated and recommended for approval by the professional staff here, has been overruled," wrote Wood.... "The recent decision announced by the Commissioner about emergency contraception, which continues to limit women's access to a product that would reduce unintended pregnancies and reduce abortions, is contrary to my core commitment to improving and advancing women's health."

As is usual when the administration is embarassed by a public resignation over policy matters, the FDA has had no comment.

Via Feminist Daily News.

Posted by Magpie at August 31, 2005 01:09 PM | US Politics | TrackBack(1) | Technorati links |