NYT: F.D.A.'s Role in Delaying Contraceptive Is Criticized

F.D.A.'s Role in Delaying Contraceptive Is Criticized
By GARDINER HARRIS

Published: March 18, 2005



WASHINGTON, March 17 - Senate Democrats on Thursday questioned Dr. Lester M. Crawford, President Bush's choice to lead the Food and Drug Administration, about why the agency had so far refused to allow over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill Plan B.

"What has disturbed many of us is what appears is political interference in a scientific process," said Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York. "We rely on the F.D.A. for everything we take, and I am hopeful that we will reverse what appears to be a dangerous slide into political opinion as opposed to scientific evidence."...

***

Dr. Crawford said the F.D.A.'s consideration of the morning-after pill's application was delayed because of its complexity, not because of political interference....

***

Dr. Crawford appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as part of his confirmation process to become the commissioner of food and drugs. President Bush nominated him in February after Dr. Crawford had served nearly a year as the agency's acting commissioner. The committee is expected to vote on his nomination on April 13, and his confirmation is widely expected....

***

The F.D.A.'s staff and an advisory committee had earlier recommended that the morning-after pill known as Plan B be approved for sale on pharmacy shelves. But in an unusual move, Dr. Steven Galson, acting director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the agency, rejected the application....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/18/politics/18fda.html

"What has disturbed many of us is what appears is political interference in a scientific process," said Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, Democrat of New York. "We rely on the F.D.A. for everything we take, and I am hopeful that we will reverse what appears to be a dangerous slide into political opinion as opposed to scientific evidence.".

good excuse--other than it is "complex" !!!!!!


......Dr. Crawford said the F.D.A.'s consideration of the morning-after pill's application was delayed because of its complexity, not because of political interference.

"I can assure you that this decision will not be based on politics," he said. "It will be based on science." ......

They have all these right to life Christian groups, i.e, Concerned Women for America (sic), testifying AGAINST the Morning After Pill at these hearings. They claim because it harms women, but if you read further on their website they talk about it as an abortant (preventing implantation is "starving tiny helpless embryos). Well, never mind that it isn't even a embryo at 1 or 2 days, but that is the real agenda here. They seem to be pretty hung up on starvation lately, aren't they?

not to mention a bad scientist. He was at UGA as both a student and an Administrator in between government appointments. A professor friend of mine at UGA told me that Crawford was allowed to skip some required upper level coursework when studying for his PhD in Pharmacy! He's a stupid, lying, cheating political hack.