WASHINGTON, DC - In the wake of sharp criticism of the Food and Drug Administration for letting politics trump science in the decision to deny over-the-counter status for the Plan B® contraceptive, Reps. Carolyn Maloney (NY-14) and Henry Waxman (CA-30) have successfully attached an amendment to the Agriculture Appropriations bill (HR 4766) today that would require the FDA to do the job it is supposed to be doing - determining what is safe and effective contraception, not what is politically expedient (PDF of amendment). There is overwhelming sentiment that the FDA did not do its job in the case of their decision on emergency contraception by ignoring its own scientific panel, which voted 23-4 in favor of over-the-counter status.

The amendment was accepted by the unanimous consent of the House of Representatives.

“It became evident when the FDA turned its back on its own scientific panel to deny over-the-counter status for the morning-after pill that we needed to reaffirm our position that science, not interest groups, should direct the FDA,” said Maloney. “Congress’s position was made clear today: political interest groups have no place governing our public health system.”

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