The Hager Zone - The Email Campaign that Refuses to Die

by Lisa Bennett, Communications Director

November 12, 2004

If you've received an email recently warning that the Bush administration has nominated a nutty right-wing doctor to an important reproductive health committee, then welcome…you've just entered the Hager Zone!

The campaign to keep Dr. W. David Hager off the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee ended officially on Dec. 24, 2002, when his appointment became official. However, the email alerting women's rights supporters (and all sensible folks) of his "impending" appointment simply refuses to die, continuing to circulate far and wide two years later. Hager's reappointment in June 2004 briefly revived the call against him, to no avail. He is now scheduled to serve on the committee until June of 2005. Bush's re-election appears to have given the email a new jolt of life, and the NOW office has been flooded with calls and emails urging us to stop Dr. Hager.

In addition to the email being outdated, many versions of it ask that readers "sign" it, as they would a petition, and then forward the email to more people. The email asks that every 100th person to sign the email petition send a copy to a specific address. This email petition method is ineffective and not used by NOW. When NOW wants you to take action, we will urge you either to sign a petition directly on our web site or to send letters to elected officials through our web site.

Who is Dr. W. David Hager?

The Hager story began back in October 2002, when Time magazine published an article about the Bush administration's plan to nominate Hager despite his weak credentials and overtly religious approach to women's reproductive health (we called it "Prayers for PMS"). NOW immediately organized a press conference with members of Congress and sent out an action alert in the hopes of keeping him off the FDA committee. Hager was originally rumored to be named the committee's chair, which never materialized, so the feminist-fueled furor may have helped at least that much.

NOW and others objected to Hager's appointment because of his vehement anti-abortion stance and his membership in the Physicians Resource Council, part of the radical right group Focus on the Family. Hager had spoken out against emergency contraception, as well as the use of birth control pills and condoms outside of marriage. Hager authored books and articles encouraging women to turn to prayer and scripture to help heal ailments such as premenstrual syndrome, postpartum depression and eating disorders, and news reports said that he refused to prescribe birth control for his unmarried patients.

Hager's appointment also represented a serious conflict of interest. The Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee is the same committee whose recommendation prompted the FDA's long-awaited approval of mifepristone (RU-486). At the time of his appointment, Hager was leading a campaign petitioning the FDA to revoke its approval and ban mifepristone. The petition was filed by The American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, The Christian Medical Association and Concerned Women for America, and Hager continues to support their efforts.

The alarm sounded by feminists, health professionals and members of Congress has proven justified. If right-wing forces get their way, the FDA may be re-considering its approval of mifepristone and Hager will be right there to influence the process.

Hager was also one of only four votes (out of 23 advisory committee members) against making emergency contraception (the "morning-after pill") available over-the-counter - though the committee's 19-4 vote was overruled by the Bush-appointed FDA chair.

Outraged Online Activists Ready for Action

Hager's over-the-top, non-reality-based take on women's reproductive health is likely what keeps the email alive. Readers are shocked that such a man could be appointed to make important medical decisions about women's bodies. They want their friends and families to know about this craziness, so they forward the email to their lists and on (and on) it goes.

If you receive the outdated Hager email, please reply to the sender and email them a link to this story. Help them get out of the Hager Zone. And sign up for our action alert list if you haven't already and encourage all your friends to do the same, so you'll get the most up-to-the-minute alerts.