CQ's Carey Addresses Von Eschenbach Confirmation Hearings, Legislation To Reduce Premature Births

Mary Agnes Carey, associate editor of CQ HealthBeat, discusses the Senate confirmation hearings of acting FDA Commissioner Andrew von Eschenbach, who President Bush has nominated to head the agency, and the Senate's passage of a measure (S 707) that would increase research and education to reduce the rate of premature births in this week's "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ." According to Carey, von Eschenbach during Senate confirmation hearings was asked several questions about FDA's announcement last week that it would reconsider nonprescription sales of Barr Laboratories' emergency contraceptive Plan B, which can prevent pregnancy if taken up to 72 hours after sexual intercourse. Democratic Sens. Patty Murray (Wash.) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.) reiterated their plans to block Eschenbach's confirmation until the FDA announces whether it will approve or reject nonprescription sales of Plan B, Carey says. During the hearing, von Eschenbach also answered questions about whether politics were interfering with FDA's scientific mission. In addition, Carey discusses the passage of Senate legislation, co-sponsored by Sens. Christopher Dodd (D-Conn.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), that would authorize $91 million over five years to improve research and education designed to reduce the rate of premature births. The bill also would encourage the development of evidence-based care for pregnant women who are at risk of preterm delivery and for premature infants. In addition, the measure would expand research in both NIH and CDC to determine the best ways of preventing preterm births and caring for premature infants (Carey, "Health on the Hill from kaisernetwork.org and CQ," 8/7).

The complete audio version of "Health on the Hill," transcript and resources for further research are available online.

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