Panel to vote on von Eschenbach
This article was originally published in The Gray Sheet
Executive Summary
Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions Committee schedules Sept. 20 vote on nomination of Andrew von Eschenbach to be permanent FDA commissioner despite the prospect of future holds. Sens. David Vitter (R-La.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) have threatened to place holds on the nomination once it reaches the Senate floor due to the lack of a drug importation program and continued marketing of Danco Laboratories' abortion pill Mifeprex (mifepristone), respectively. Democratic Sens. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) and Patty Murray (Wash.) only recently released their hold on the nominee following FDA's approval of Plan B for dual Rx/OTC status (1"The Gray Sheet" Aug. 28, 2006, In Brief)...