FDA dangerously misclassifies ella
In service of truth: "Expanded care for women" (Times editorial, Aug. 7) violates American conscience rights, advances an abortion agenda, imperils female health, substantially increases profits of the abortion industry's titan. Forcing all insurers to cover all FDA-approved contraceptive drugs, including ella, violates every American's conscious freedoms to choose, and usurps the freedoms of insurers, hospitals and health care professionals and workers to choose.
I believe ella is dangerously misclassified by the FDA as an EC, emergency contraceptive.
Ella acts chemically like RU-486. Studies have shown it causes abortion in animals and humans. Ella "turns off the progesterone receptors in the body crucial not only for the beginning of pregnancy, but its continuance," and may cause abortion even after implantation.
Pro-life advocates assert ella may cause abortions, miscarriages, dangerous, life-threatening ectopic pregnancies, birth defects, unknown risks to developing babies. This drug, with limited studies, received FDA-approval as an EC! The FDA acknowledges no data on safety over long-term use, danger to the unborn, or risks to future pregnancies.
Misclassifying ella endangers all women, teens; bypasses federal laws providing tax dollars for "family planning"; profits drug, abortion industries!
ISABELLA, von MEMMINGEN
Learn from what Cicero had to say
In 55 B.C., Cicero warned:
"The budget should be balanced, the Treasury should be refilled, public debt should be reduced, the arrogance of officialdom should be tempered and controlled and the assistance to foreign lands should be curtailed lest Rome become bankrupt.
"People must again learn to work, instead of living on public assistance."
This would be a good starting point for our "committee" to begin and people having a place to go to work.
MIKE HOLDEN
Everyone entitled to own thinking
Characterizing individuals or groups as factual is baloney! No facts are necessary, only the thoughts of the portrayer painting the picture. It is called spin.
Every day, we see stereotypes developed or already in place, and discrimination takes place.
Rhonda Thurman did it in her schools rantings; the tea party does it as they talk about "taking back America" (not sure to what, loved the past, love the present, believe in the future in America!).
Extremists of all stripes do it to justify thinking and actions. Political groups do it to advance ideology and a way of seeing the world.
I was 35 before I realized that everyone in the world did not think or see reality the way I did. It took some adjustments to understand each of us has a contextual reality with our own "facts (characterizations)."
Our country is based on the premise that each is entitled to individual thinking. It is unfortunate that a minority (less than 25 percent!) believe only they are right and factual, that the country must run only as they see it. They believe the other 75 percent are wrong, don't care, or are just stupid. Oh, but wait! I just characterized the 25 percent.
SHARON McINTOSH