Judge: Obama Administration May Have Politicized Morning After Pill Approval Process
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Judge: Obama Administration May Have Politicized Morning After Pill Approval Process
By Igor Volsky on Dec 14, 2011 at 10:45 am
Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Edward Korman heard oral arguments on the Center for Reproductive Rights motion for contempt against the Food and Drug Administration for ignoring scientific evidence and denying women of all ages over-the counter access to the morning after pill. Last week, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius overruled FDA scientists, citing concerns over the ability of younger girls to understand the label and use the product appropriately.
Korman rejected the organizations motion, but told the Center to file the appropriate legal motions and indicated that he would consider reviewing the governments refusal to make it easier for girls and women to get the drug. During the hearing, Korman pressed the FDA on why Sebelius denied over-the-counter access to women 17 and under if she was only worried about the youngest of teens and added that the administrations handling of the case raised concerns about whether the decision was based on politics or science. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Landau said he couldnt answer that question, both because it was proprietary information and because the issue hadnt actually been raised for the court to rule on.
Korman has been very critical of the governments handling of the morning after pill in the past. In 2009, he found that the Bush FDA acted arbitrarily and capriciously in restricting over-the-counter access to younger women under 18 and accused the government of letting political considerations, delays and implausible justifications for decision-making cloud the approval process. Kormans order forced the FDA lowered the over-the-counter availability age to 17. On Tuesday, he suggested, it seems to me like were going through a re-run.
http://thinkprogress.org/health/2011/12/14/389166/judge-obama-administration-may-have-politicized-morning-after-pill-approval-process/
xchrom
(108,903 posts)Autumn
(44,762 posts)Obama did. Women's rights are all bones to be tossed out to the other side, bargaining chips.
JJW
(1,416 posts)It is always the least of us that the highest in office is so ready to sacrifice. If it were the banksters' wives needing the pill, he'd setup a free plant dedicated to meeting every whim.
It is the youngest girls that would suffer the most from unwanted pregnancy. They have highest death during pregnancy and delivery. Highest rates of miscarriage and still births. Economically they are devastated for life and our Government doesn't want to help them.
kenfrequed
(7,865 posts)The fundamentalists that are so crazy that the day after pill scares them will never, never, never, never, never, never, never, ever vote for President Obama anyhow. Why the hell won't these people get this?
Extend your hand in bipartisan friendship, and get it torn off by the savage attack dogs.
Bluenorthwest
(45,319 posts)Each defense of this decision I read on DU said 'smart politics, win/win politics' and such. Thought that was a given.
saras
(6,670 posts)...and I honestly don't think there's ANYONE on DU dumb enough to suggest that the fundies are going to appreciate him for it.
It was a good chance to say "The facts are in. You have a right to your own opinions, but you do NOT have a right to your own facts."
Islandlife
(212 posts)It's up to the voters to interpret. This is an election year. We can expect those needing to get elected to do and say anything to benefit themselves. This is how it works.
The "motion for contempt" is waste of court time. Just serves as publicity.
Be on the look out for political marketing, marketing, marketing.
Demit
(11,238 posts)from doing whatever they want. I know this administration is trying to increase the power of the president, to be the final and only arbiter of doing whatever he wants, but let us not concede power to him even before he has seized it.