I admit that right now I'm focused 99% on the Katrina news, but my eyes did slip down the page far enough to see the headline FDA Official Resigns in Protest of 'Morning-After Pill' Decision.
From the article:
Susan F. Wood, assistant FDA commissioner for women's health and director of the Office of Women's Health, said she was leaving her position after five years because Commissioner Lester Crawford's decision on Friday amounted to unwarranted interference in agency decision-making."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 overuled," she wrote in an e-mail to her staff and FDA colleagues.
Wow. I applaud Dr. Wood for taking the stand, though I'm afraid it won't change anything in a climate where politics trumps science.
Posted by Nic at August 31, 2005 05:13 PM | TrackBackI understand her position, especially in light of the seemingly fuzzy reasoning behind the decision. On the other hand, the FDA, like every other agency, is very much a political beauracracy, whether we like it or not. This administration is very pro-life, so the decision makes sense from that perspective, and all the medical evidence on safety doesn't change the fact that the big boss doesn't like it and doesn't want it.
Science is science, that's all. Just because all the studies have proven that the pill is safe doesn't change the process where a decision must be made according to politics (or worldview, if you prefer), even while knowing and understanding the facts.
Posted by: Ted at August 31, 2005 08:35 PMYou're right. But it makes the public health advocate in me scream...
Posted by: nic at August 31, 2005 10:00 PMTell me about it. Like the golden rice fiasco, sometimes you just want to strangle every politician power-tripping from atop their ivory tower.
Posted by: Ted at September 1, 2005 06:44 AM