Dr. W. David Hager is up for appointment (has been appointed? I'm out of touch) to the FDA's Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee. Hager is the author of such books as As Jesus Cared for Women: Restoring Women Then and Now and Stress and the Woman's Body ("An OB/GYN and his wife look at 12 stress-related medical disorders unique to women. Symptoms, causes and treaments are outlined followed by spiritual applications. Linda Carruth is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminiary with a Master of Fine Arts in Theology.") (from an Amazon.com editorial review).

As Maureen Dowd in the New York Times puts it: "Are we so worried about medieval villains abroad that we no longer worry about medievalism at home?"

I'm concerned that the separation of church and state has almost completely disappeared during this administration, and they don't appear to be finished yet. If things keep on the way they have been, we'll be living back in the 50's, women in shirtwaist dresses and aprons and high heels, waiting to serve dinner to our men when they get home from their hard days at work, having as many children as they demand, with no way to avoid it.

It frightens me, like many things about the current administration.

I think it's entirely possible that religious beliefs and prayer can affect health, but I don't think prayer has a place on an FDA panel.