Oops! The FDA does it again

But this time, they tried to correct the boo boo before they thought anyone would notice. Unfortunately for them, thousands of people noticed.

Two weeks ago, amidst the storm of media coverage about Katrina, Susan Wood, director of the FDA's Office of Women's Health, resigned in protest over the agency's indecision concerning the "morning after pill."

One week ago, the office announced the appointment of Norris Alderson, a veterinarian, as its new acting director.

Three days later, the FDA announced that 20-year FDA veteran Theresa A. Toigo would be the new acting director of the women's health office, and that she would be a "champion for women's health inside and outside the agency."

When a reporter from the Washington Post called the FDA yesterday to ask who exactly was running the office, spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino said that Alderson had never been appointed acting director, and that Toigo would take over for the departed Wood.

But several women's groups said that not only did they receive e-mails announcing Alderson's appointment, but that he was listed on a Health and Human Services directory last week as the acting director of the office. In addition, people on the women's health office staff said that Alderson was introduced to them last week as the new acting director, and that he had one-on-one discussions with staff members about future plans.

So in its desperate attempt to avoid replicating Bush's Michael Brown fiasco, the FDA is instead channeling Keystone Kops - while continuing to screw women.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/19/AR2005091901576.html