In Support of Planned Parethood

Pink out for Planned Parenthood. Photo via WikiMedia Commons.

By Ralph E. Stone

February 16, 2017

Demonstrations were held at least 225 Planned Parenthood clinics across the country on Saturday in support of, and against, the organization.

Planned Parenthood operates 650 health centers across the U.S. providing women with “the information and care they need to live strong, healthy lives and fulfill their dreams — no ceilings, no limits.” In the year ending June 30, 2015, the organization received $553.7 million in government health services grants and reimbursements or 43% of its revenue.

I remember when anti-abortion activist and Center for Medical Progress founder David Daleiden alleged in a series of undercover videos in 2015 that Planned Parenthood was selling donated fetal tissue for a profit. The videos misrepresent what Planned Parenthood does.  The Republican Party jumped on Planned Parenthood to highlight its anti-abortion stance and a Republican-led investigation quickly followed. The investigation found nothing. In truth, Planned Parenthood follows federal law in allowing women to donate fetal tissue for research, and charges small amounts to cover costs of storage and shipment.

In actuality, just 3% of Planned Parenthood services are dedicated to abortion and no federal monies pay for abortion services. And remember, the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade, legalized abortion nationwide in 1973.  The other 97% of services provided are for contraception, treatment and tests for sexually transmitted diseases, cancer screenings and other women’s health services.

Unfortunately, the falsehood about selling fetal tissue has turned into an anti-abortion crusade against Planned Parenthood with a GOP threat to repeal the Affordable Care Act and eliminate federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

The attack on Planned Parenthood is just another GOP attack on women.

If Planned Parenthood loses its federal funding, women will be denied a vital source of health care services; their health centers are often the last resort for women seeking healthcare in low-income communities.

Demand Congress continue funding Planned Parenthood.

Ralph E. Stone

I was born in Massachusetts; graduated from Middlebury College and Suffolk Law School; served as an officer in the Vietnam war; retired from the Federal Trade Commission (consumer and antitrust law); travel extensively with my wife Judi; and since retirement involved in domestic violence prevention and consumer issues.

More Posts