U.S. senators drop objections to FDA nominee

[MaineDem]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Two Democratic senators have dropped their objections to U.S. President George W. Bush's pick to head the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, a congressional spokeswoman said on Thursday after the agency approved wider access to a morning-after contraceptive.

Sens. Patty Murray of Washington and Hillary Clinton of New York said for months that they would block a full Senate vote on Acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach until the agency made a decision on the controversial Plan B pill.

Murray spokeswoman Alex Glass said the lawmakers would now lift their opposition after the FDA earlier on Thursday approved Barr Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s bid to sell its emergency contraceptive without a prescription to women 18 and older.

"She will keep her promise and lift her hold," Glass told Reuters, adding that Clinton would do the same.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/08/24/us_senators_drop_objections_to_fda_nominee/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News

[gratuitous]

1. Democrats fought and won?

Who would have ever imagined?

[Kelvin Mace]

2. Baby Bush will simply backtrack

after he's appointed.

Jeebus these people are such rubes.

[Ian David]

3. The FDA will make it the most difficult OTC medication to get. n/t