WP: FDA Rethinks Women's Chief (denies appointing veterinarian)

[DeepModem Mom]

FDA Rethinks Women's Chief
Toigo Is Acting Head; Agency Denies Naming Veterinary Official

By Marc Kaufman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, September 20, 2005; Page A21


One week ago, the Office of Women's Health of the Food and Drug Administration sent an e-mail notice to women's groups and others announcing the appointment of Norris Alderson as its new acting director.

An FDA veteran trained in animal husbandry who spent much of his career in the agency's Center for Veterinary Medicine, Alderson quickly became the subject of active and largely negative comment on the Internet and elsewhere.

The Office of Women's Health serves as a liaison with women's health groups and as an advocate on women's issues; critics said that a man with a primarily veterinary background could not properly fill the role.

The last director, Susan Wood, resigned last month to protest the agency's unwillingness to make a decision on whether to make emergency contraception more easily available.

Three days after the Alderson announcement, the FDA main press office sent out a very different announcement. It said 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....Asked yesterday who exactly was running the office, FDA spokeswoman Suzanne Trevino said that Alderson had never been appointed acting director. She said that Toigo would take over from the departed Wood, and that her office knew nothing about the statement regarding Alderson, who is the agency's associate commissioner for science....


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

[intheflow]

1. Nominated. Damn straight!

Animal husbandry vet to run women's health? Yet, right.

I bet Pickles told * he wouldn't get any unless he found someone who had experience in women's health for the post.

[Erika]

2. Agreed 100%

How many days do we have left with this incompetent?

[ChairmanAgnostic]

13. great idea -.

why don't we add a countdown to our posts, showing the number of days left under shrub?

[autorank]

3. Keep this one alive. Recommended. What utter stupidity.

Animal husbandry indeed...I'm sure there are many spouses who would agree...seriously, this is so totally stunning, it defies comprehension. Who does their PR. Even if this is their inclination, don't they have some one saying: "Look, nice try, but you're totally out of your fucking mind. If you appoint a vet specializing in animal husbandry as head of Women's Health you'll take a beating. No way, take it back to the drawing board." I'd be glad to do consult for them at $5000 a day (60 day minimum), but I'd leak their shit so WTF good would I be. Amazing.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. I considered adding to the subject line, the now familiar:

(not "The Onion").

[TaleWgnDg]

10. This would be funny if it weren't so damn serious, huh, DeepModem Mom?

Indeed. How insensitive and uncouth can these idiots get in the whitehouse?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

5. The fact that he's a veterinarian doesn't bother me nearly as much

as the fact that he's a man.

If they established an Office of Men's Health, would they put a woman doctor in charge?

[intheflow]

6. No, Ahnold would be appointed ASAP.

What a man! :puke:

[loudsue]

8. PUKE!! You're supposed to WARN us before you post gross pictures!

:puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke::puke:

[OregonBlue]

14. Maybe a female gynocologist?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

16. Or an exotic dancer.

[Up2Late]

7. Well, how the Hell are they suppose to know that he's an Animal Vet...

...and not another "Vet" Vet?

Them thar' papers they told them to read had lots of REAL big Words and stuff.:crazy:

[MADem]

9. He should be reappointed IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!!

As the President's personal physician!!!!!!!! :evilgrin: :toast: :rofl:

[Nothing Without Hope]

11. An encouraging sign that they ARE responding to strong criticism now

I'm wondering about this Theresa Toigo. Anybody know anything about her? Is she a real improvement or a cosmetic one over the male veterinarian?

Recommended

[corbett]

12. Even John Roberts' Wife Had To Be Insulted

I'm wondering about Toigo, too, but have to say that appointing a veterinarian was a no-win for the FDA. Besides, Senator Clinton could have gotten so much mileage out of that for her reelection that backpedaling was their only choice.

[Demeter]

15. Another Way of Calling All Women Cows and Bitches

I am used to it, but not resigned.

[stanwyck]

17. This appointment was incredibly

insulting. Really. To appoint a veterinarian as the head of women's health. The Bushies are truly heinous.
Doesn't Condi have sufficient self dignity to find this insulting? Or is she so obsequious to Bush she's become totally subservient to whatever he does?
Don't the Bush daughters have any sense of self worth? They don't find having an animal doctor in charge of women's health insulting?
What kind of women are these conservatives?
They can't all be this beaten down.