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Dr. David Hager's Views on Contraception

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A girlfriend sent me information on how to protest Dr. David Hager's appointment to the FDA committee.  Some of the accusations made against this man sounded incredible.  Could any doctor in this day and age really refuse to prescribe contraceptives to unmarried women?  Had anybody asked him?  So I emailed Dr. Hager and asked.  I never expected a reply.  He surprised me.  I feel that his answer deserves to appear on the internet.  I have requested his permission and he has said that I may post his response.  Here is what he told me:

Dr. David Hager
davidhager.jpg
New Appointee to the FDA
"Let me first say that I have been interviewed by no one regarding any article written about my proposed appointment.  All of the information in op-eds and on broadcasts as well as the NOW press conference is either second hand or conjecture.
I counsel all of my single patients about the risks of non-marital sexual activity, as I do married patients whose spouse is known to be involved with another partner.  Those risks including STDs and non-marital pregnancy.  I advise them that abstinence is the best prevention for both consequences.  If they choose to be sexually active, I provide contraceptive prescriptions and advise the use of condoms as well.
I have never written or said that prayer alone, in the absence of medication when needed or other forms of therapy, is to be used to treat stress-related disorders or other diseases.  I am a person of faith, but know that faith and science can be balanced, and does not prevent objectivized evaluation of data."  Dr. David Hager

     In researching Dr. Hager, I came across a Time article which claimed that he had refused to talk to them.  Dr. Hager added, "Time called while I was out of the office on a speaking engagement and therefore said that I did not return their calls.  Thank you for your kind support."  Dr. David Hager
 
2/17/03 Update:
 
"My appointment has been confirmed and announced now.  Have done some interviews.  Still being criticized by Planned Parenthood, National Organization for Women, and the National Abortion Rights League.  Still being considered to be too pro-life, and too conservative for them.  I had not been interviewed by any of the writers who had written about me and yet they said that I would not prescribe birth control pills to single women and that all I prescribed for premenstrual syndrome and stress disorders was prayer, both of which are not true. 
To your readers I would say that I am a scientist who is a man of faith and in my opinion both can be combined.  I have always objectively evaluated data and arrived at decisions based on that objective evaluation.  We all have biases, but that does not prevent me from making wise decisions about the health and well-being of women and their families."  Dr. David Hager
 
From Dr. Hager's patient, Tina, posted 3/3/3:

"I think that I can shed light on this topic.  Dr. Hager was my OB/GYN for 8 years.  I started going to him when I was 19 years old and I was single. I was put on birth control pills to control my periods.  I know of several other single women who were put on birth control pills for contraceptive purposes.  In all of the years that I have been affiliated with his practice -- all the women in my family have gone to him over the course of the last 15 years -- he has never once brought his religion into play when diagnosing or treating illnesses.  I have had plenty of female problems and not once was I told to go home and pray about it. I was given benefit of the latest medical treatments and was treated with dignity and respect.  Dr. Hager quickly diagnosed my PCOS and endometriosis and I was given the standard treatments of hormonal supplements, surgery, Glucophage, pain killers, and eventually Clomid. The only times that I have witnessed religion in his practice is when he said a prayer with me before each of my surgeries as well as before each delivery he has ever done. While I have not read the book that you quoted, I have read "Stress and the Woman's Body" and there is a suggestion that women become in tune with the spiritual side of life as a way to help certain ailments.  Never does he say to do this in place of modern medicine.  It is a part of a holistic approach.  You must treat the mind, soul and body. What he recommends is no different than if some doctor suggested that for high blood pressure, you take these pills and also attend a yoga class once a week or try meditation.  It's just that Dr. Hager recommends that you do the prescribed treatment and also seek God for his healing powers."  Tina, Former patient of Dr. W. David Hager

My name is Linda Eisele.  I am a housewife and mother of a teenaged son and daughter, and I am pro-choice.