Essential Estrogen

There's an important story breaking today at the Washington Post, which explains how agencies who disagree with the Bush administration's plans are treated come budget time.

When is $4 million really $2.8 million?

One answer is "When you're a woman," as the Labor Department has repeatedly found that women earn about 75 cents for every dollar that men earn for the same work.

But this week's answer is "When you are the Office of Women's Health" within the Food and Drug Administration. That office, which was at the center of the politically damaging storm over the emergency contraceptive "Plan B," just had more than one-quarter of this year's $4 million operating budget quietly removed, insiders say.

While some reading - especially those who are against abortion and/or Plan B - may be tempted to applaud this news, we ask that you also consider the full role of the Office of Women's Health. The office funds research on male-female differences to ensure women receive appropriate treatment. It is also the office which funded the educational surge on folic acid and how pregnant women need it in order to reduce the risk of neural tube defects. In addition, much of the education and health information about menopause, pregnancy, birth control, osteoporosis and osteopenia (among others).

What seems to make this funding cut even more under-handed is that it isn't directly from the budget. The Bush administration did request - and Congress did approve - $4 million for the office is fiscal 2007 (same budget that the office has had for several years now). The FDA, however, intends to withhold $1.2 million of that budgeted amount and use it elsewhere in the agency.

By all accounts, the FDA most likely would have withheld more of the budget from the Office of Women's Health; however, the remaining $2.8 million has already been spent or allocated. The $1.2 million removed from the budget effectively forces the Office to stop operations for the rest of the year, according to the WaPo article.

In 2005 former Director Susan Wood resigned in protest over the administration's position against Plan B. The Office and its staff had stood up for scientific research that had backed the safety and appropriateness of nonprescription sales of the drug. The row ended in August 2006 when the compromise was to allow over-the-counter sales of Plan B to people at least 18 years old.

There is something each of you can do. FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach is slated to appear today before the Senate appropriations subcommittee to discuss the agency's 2008 budget. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to appear before the similar House committee.

Members of the Senate subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies are:

• Sen. Herb Kohl (chair, D-WI)
• Sen. Robert Bennett (ranking member, R-UT)
• Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA)
• Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS)
• Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND)
• Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA)
• Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA)
• Sen. Chris Bond (R-MO)
• Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL)
• Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• Sen. Tim Johnson (D-SD)
• Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID)
• Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE)
• Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
• Sen. Jack Reed (D-RI)

Members of the House subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies are:

• Rep. Rosa DeLauro (chair, D-CT)
• Rep. Jack Kingston (ranking member, R-GA)
• Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-NY)
• Rep. Tom Latham (R-IA)
• Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA)
• Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO)
• Rep. Allen Boyd (D-FL)
• Rep. Ray LaHood (R-IL)
• Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA)
• Rep. Rodney Alexander (R-LA)
• Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH)
• Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL)
• Rep. Steven R. Rothman (D-NJ)
• Rep. Dave Obey (ex-officio, D-WI)
• Rep. Jerry Lewis (ex-officio, R-CA)