President Bush has announced his intention to appoint 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

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.

FDA Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory


President Bush has announced his intention to appoint 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 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. His views of health care are far
outside the mainstream for reproductive technology and modern
gynecological practice. 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 (causes abortion). 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 panel 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
message 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.


Please forward e-mail to