FDA Women's Director Resigns: NOW salutes Susan Wood as a Woman of Integrity.

FDA Women's Director Resigns:
NOW Salutes Susan Wood as a Woman of Integrity

August 31, 2005

Susan F. Wood, Ph.D., Director of the Office of Women’s Health at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced her resignation in response to the FDA's unconscionable disregard for the public health in failing to make emergency contraception more available to women. "Dr. Wood's resignation is a tremendous loss to the women's health community, and is an indictment of the Bush political appointees who have turned the agency from medical science to political ideology," said NOW President Kim Gandy.

Following is the letter Wood sent to FDA colleagues and women's health advocates:

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I regret to tell you that I am leaving the FDA, and will no longer be serving as the Assistant Commissioner for Women's Health and Director of the FDA Office of Women's Health. 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. I have spent the last 15 years working to ensure that science informs good health policy decisions. 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. I therefore have submitted my resignation effective today.

I will greatly miss working with such an outstanding group of scientists, clinicians and support staff. FDA's staff is of the highest caliber and it has been a privilege to work with you all. I hope to have future opportunities to work with you in a different capacity.

Advocates across the country join NOW in saluting Dr. Wood's courage and integrity, and in demanding that the political leaders of the FDA begin to put our health ahead of politics.

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