Due to the negative response from thousands of people, and the backfiring on the FDA's tentative Plan B over-the-counter emergency oral contraceptive proposal, the Senate HELP Committee has delayed a vote on the nomination of Andrew von Eschenbach, MD, to be the next FDA Commissioner.

HELP committee Chairman Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) is planning to seek a vote in committee in September, when Congress returns from its August recess period. Two HELP Committee members have said that they will put a "hold" on a full Senate vote, even if approved by the HELP committee, until the Plan B issue is resolved. This means that until these "holds" are released, even if voted out of the HELP committee, the full Senate cannot vote on the nomination.