if you are or know and love a woman or girl...

i received this email from a friend of mine and wanted to pass it along. i have read about this guy before. because of this man, women today in 2004 are being denied birth control pills. wtf! i've read that they're told to go home and pray their cramps away. this really scares me.

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Dear Friends,

Even if you don't share my personal and political beliefs, please take a moment to consider the situation laid out in the following text:

President Bush has announced his intention to appoint Dr. W. David Hager to head up the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. This committee has not met for more than two years, during which time its charter lapsed. As a result, the Bush Administration is tasked with filling all eleven positions with new members. This position does not require Congressional approval. The FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee makes crucial decisions on matters relating to drugs used in the practice of obstetrics, gynecology and related specialties, including hormone therapy, contraception, treatment for infertility, and medical alternatives to surgical procedures for sterilization and pregnancy termination.

Dr. Hager is the author of "As Jesus Cared for Women: Restoring Women Then and Now." The book blends biblical accounts of Christ healing women with case studies from Hager's practice. His views of health care are far outside the mainstream for reproductive technology and modern gynecological practice. Dr. Hager is a practicing OB/GYN who describes himself as "pro-life" and refuses to prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women. In the book Dr. Hager wrote with his wife, entitled "Stress and the Woman's Body," he suggests that women who suffer from premenstrual syndrome should seek help from reading the bible and praying.

As an editor and contributing author of "The Reproduction Revolution: A Christian Appraisal of Sexuality Reproductive Technologies and the Family," Dr. Hager appears to have endorsed the medically inaccurate assertion that the common birth control pill is an abortifacient (causes abortion). We are concerned that Dr. Hager's strong religious beliefs may color his assessment of technologies that are necessary to protect women's lives or to preserve and promote women's health. Dr. Hager's track record of using religious beliefs to guide his medical decision-making makes him a dangerous and inappropriate candidate to serve as chair of this committee. Critical drug public policy and research must not be held hostage by anti-abortion politics.

Members of this important panel should be appointed on the basis of science and medicine, rather than politics and religion. American women deserve no less.

There is something you can do. Below is a letter to be sent to the White House, opposing the placement of Hager. Please copy all the text of this message and paste it into a fresh email; then sign your name below and SEND THIS TO EVERY PERSON YOU KNOW WHO IS CONCERNED ABOUT WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

Every 100th person, please forward e-mail to president@whitehouse.gov

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I oppose the appointment of Dr. W. David Hager to the FDA Reproductive
Health Drugs Advisory Committee. Mixing religion and medicine is
unacceptable in a policy-making position. Using the FDA to promote a
political agenda is inappropriate and seriously threatens women's health.
Members of this important panel should be appointed on the basis of science
and medicine, rather than politics and religion. American women deserve no
less.

1. Carl Burns, New York City
2. Paul Amaru, NY, NY
3. Marion Vrusho, Stamford, CT
4. Enid Norris, Stamford, CT
5. Joyce Wolf, Stamford, CT
6. Beth Rollins, Cos Cob, CT
7. Susan Ellis, Old Greenwich, CT
8. Faye C. Gage, Darien, CT.
9. Janet M Joseph, West Chester, PA,
10. Sea Kaplan, Wayne, PA,
11. Ann Hiller, Wayne, PA
12. Lois Morris, Philadelphia, PA
13. Lynne Poag, Shamong, NJ,
14. Melinda Mangin, Jersey City, NJ
15. Stephani Salamea,Queens,NY
16. Gabriella F.Giresi Queens, NY
17. Maria Taormina Hicksville, NY;
18. Esta Joy Kroten; NYC, NY;
19. Jayne B. Hirsch
20. Erica Johnson
21. Teresa Solomita
22. Belinda Baer
23. Rachel Kulick, Boston, MA;
24. Abigail Ortiz, Boston Ma;
25. CelesteSchmid, Boston MA
26. Merrill Stubbs, New York, NY
27. Kimberley Roosenburg, NY, NY
28. Elizabeth Fox, NY, NY
29. Karlie Santucci, NY, NY
30. Erica Stern, NY, NY
31. Shanley Stern, NY, NY
32. Rachael Adler, NY, NY
33. Anne Klee, New Haven, CT
34. Rana Jazayerli, Arlington, VA
35. Aysha Corbett, Washington,DC
36. April Everett, Arlington, VA
37. Dr Sekai Chideya, CA
38. Ella Leers, NY, NY
39. Ari Ariel, NY, NY
40. Tri Do, MD, MPH, San Francisco, CA
41. Tonya Chaffee, MD, MPH San Francisco, CA
42. Janet Shalwitz, MD San Francisco, CA
43. Andrea Jacoby, Ph.D. San Francisco, CA
44. George Buffington, San Francisco, CA
45. Bonnie Earls-Solari
46. Jody Rassell Los Angeles, CA
47. Minna Towbin Pinger, New York, NY
48. Martine Singer, Los Angeles, CA
49. Jamie Bernstein, New York, NY
50. Karen Chester, New York NY
51. Alison Ames, New York NY
52. Teri Noel Towe, New York, NY
53. Gail Scordilis, Northampton, MA
54. Jessica Gifford, Easthamton, MA
55. Jess Saalfield, Montague, MA
56. Claudine Solin, San Francisco, CA
57. Susan Neubauer, Bozeman, MT
58. E. Kelley, Bozeman MT
59. Erin Byrne, Tualatin, OR
60. Kathleen Minde RN, Portland, OR
61. Savona Cook, Eugene, OR
62. Delia Paine, Bend, OR
63. Jennifer Shontz, WA
64. Deborah Paine, Seattle, WA
65. Gloria Lamson, Port Townsend, WA
66. Gloria Paige, Seattle, WA
67. Linda Lee, Portland, OR
68. Carmen Farmer, Portland , OR
69. Margaret Jennings, Portland, OR
70. Robert Conklin, Portland, OR
71. Aphra Katzev, Portland, OR
72. Karen McCurdy, RI
73. Jennifer Bowdoin, Providence, RI
74. Amber Fearn, E. Providence, RI
75. Karley D. Frankic, New Orleans, LA
76. JoAnn Burak, New Orleans, LA
77. Carol Wise, New orleans, LA
78. Judith H. Darsky, Larchmont, NY
79. Franne Weinberg, Mamaroneck, NY
80. Stephanie Shear, Tarzana, CA
81. Terry Schoninger, Rancho Mirage, CA
82. Jayne Hicks, Rancho Mirage, CA
83. Jill Shepherd, Winchester, MA
84. Jan D'Amore, Medford, MA
85. Lana Z Caplan, Boston, MA
86. Katya Gorker, Boston, MA
87. Mary Timony, Washington, D.C.
88. Raquel Pelzel, Brooklyn, NY
89. Alice Fixx, New York, NY
90. Deborah Slade, CT
91. Marguerite Strolle Salvatore, MD
92. Valerie A. Asher MD, Bethesda, MD
93. Joanna Alexander Seattle, WA
94. Maria Falgione, Lexington, SC
95. Jennifer Wood, Wellington, FL
96. Jamie Johnson, Chicago, IL
97. Paula Hess, Chicago, IL