MANILA, Philippines — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday asked various groups concerned with the recertification of contraceptives to “exercise sobriety.”
FDA director general Nela Charade Puno said “hysterical remarks against the FDA and its review process may derail the proceeding and cause further delay in the implementation of the Reproductive Health Law.”
“The process is technical and scientific in nature and not a political one. As scientists, we work with empirical evidence. We make sure that our conclusions are based on facts and not on hysteria,” she said in a statement.
Puno issued the statement amid what she described is “an escalating attack on the integrity of the agency and its processes” as it comes closer to concluding its review of the contraceptives.
Last Tuesday, various civic organizations advocating for the protection of the rights of women and children have urged the FDA to speed up its review of 51 contraceptives.
The groups were disappointed that the FDA had not issued a recertification that the products are safe, effective and are non-abortifacients, thus delaying the lifting of the temporary restraining order issued by the Supreme Court on the products in June 2015.
Likhaan Center for Women’s Health executive director Junice Melgar revealed that 35 of 51 contraceptives have so far been recertified by the FDA.