Women's Health Advocates Oppose Reckless Nomination at the FDA

October 15, 2002

The National Organization for Women and the NOW Foundation Women's Health Project are joining with a wide array of allies from Congress and from medical, religious, women's health and other advocacy organizations to announce opposition to the reckless nomination of Dr. W. David Hager. Hager, a physician who confuses religion with medicine, has been nominated to a position on the Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

        What: News Conference Opposing FDA Nomination of Dr. W. David Hager

        Who: Kim Gandy, NOW President, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., Representatives from the Feminist Majority, National Abortion Federation, National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League, National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association, National Women's Health Network, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and other organizations

        When: Wednesday, October 16, 2:00 pm

        Where: 2220 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

This key committee influences FDA decisions vital to women's health, such as the 2000 approval of mifepristone (RU-486), and will conduct a major study of hormone-replacement therapy in menopause. Hager led a recent effort to convince the FDA to ban mifepristone; he has suggested prayer as a treatment for premenstrual syndrome and eating disorders; and he reportedly opposes prescribing contraceptives to unmarried women.

"Dr. Hager—an opponent of women's reproductive rights who prescribes prayer and scripture to treat women's health conditions—has no place chairing a panel that has enormous power to influence women's health policy," said NOW President Kim Gandy.

###

Sign up to receive press releases by email.