Essure Device Stirring Trouble on the Hill

WASHINGTON -- The FDA is caught in a tug-of-war between, on one side, thousands of women who believe the Essure permanent sterilization device is dangerous, and on the other, the manufacturer Bayer, which insists that the implant is safe, effective and a "valuable contraceptive option."

Recently, members of Congress and an independent research body entered the fray.

Essure is intended for women who have decided not to have any, or any more, pregnancies.