Newswise — Dr. Susan Wood, former FDA Assistant Commissioner for Women’s Health and associate professor of Health Policy and Director of the Jacobs Institute at The GW School of Public Health and Health Services is available to comment on the FDA’s action denying the application to lift the age limit for sale of Plan B, or the morning after pill. This decision would have enabled retailers to sell Plan B on the shelf, as opposed to behind the pharmacy counter, where it is currently sold.
To interview Dr. Wood, please contact: Anne Banner, [email protected], w: 202-994-2261, c: 202-321-1389Susan Wood, PhD,Associate Professor of Health Policy and of Environmental and Occupational Health Executive Director of the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health
Statement from Dr Wood:
This decision is stunning. I had come to believe that the FDA would be allowed to make decisions based on science and the public’s health. Sadly, once again, FDA has been over-ruled and not allowed to do its job. I cannot understand why Secretary Sebelius would reach in and overturn the FDA’s decision to allow timely access for all those who need safe and effective emergency contraception.
Biographical Information about Dr. Susan Wood:
On Capitol Hill, in the Department of Health and Human Services, at the FDA and now at SPHHS's Project on Scientific Knowledge and Public Policy, in the Department of Health Policy, and the Jacobs Institute of Women's Health, Professor Susan Wood has dedicated her career to applying scientific evidence to health policy decision making. She joins the School from the FDA, where she was Assistant Commissioner for Women's Health and Director of the Office of Women's Health until 2005, when she resigned on principle over the continued delay in approving emergency over–the–counter contraception.
A long–time champion of women's health, Dr. Wood previously served as Director for Policy and Program Development at the U.S Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health. Prior to joining DHHS, Dr. Wood was an AAAS Congressional Fellow and then Deputy Director of the Congressional Caucus for Women's Issues. In that capacity, she was directly involved with policy initiatives and legislative proposals designed to advance biomedical research, women's health, family planning and health care reform. Professor Wood has been honored with the FDA Commissioner's Special Citation (2004), the DHHS Secretary's Distinguished Service Award (2003) and the Keystone Award in Women's Health Research (2000), among other awards.
RSS