THE WEDNESDAY STOPP REPORT

Planned Parenthood sued over another RU-486 death

Many of our readers will remember Holly Patterson, an 18-year-old girl who died on September 17, 2003 after receiving a so-called medical abortion (RU-486) at a Planned Parenthood Golden Gate clinic in Hayward, California. Holly died from a sepsis infection. Investigation into the case determined that Planned Parenthood was dispensing the drugs involved in the abortion in a manner that was not consistent with the approved FDA protocol. Planned Parenthood has continually defended its method of dispensing the drugs and has not changed that method.

Now, a new lawsuit has been filed against Planned Parenthood in the death of another young woman in 2003. According to the Los Angeles Times, Hoa Thuy Tran, a 21-year-old, died on December 29, 2003 after receiving a medical abortion at a Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties clinic in Costa Mesa, California. Once again, according to the lawsuit, the victim died from a sepsis infection.

This second patient death at a California Planned Parenthood affiliate occurred over three months after Patterson's death. One wonders if Planned Parenthood had changed its procedures following Holly's death, if Tran would still be alive.

According to attorney Mark G. Crawford, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of Tran's family, "The main point is that she was not given any warnings of any risk of death, of any risk of infection, of any risk of septic shock."

So what does Planned Parenthood have to say about this second death of one of its RU-486 patients? Well, the Los Angeles Times reports that Kimberlee Ward, vice president of public affairs at Planned Parenthood, said her organization cannot comment on the suit but "we are very sorry and express our sympathy to the family for any death that has occurred."

It's nice that Planned Parenthood is "sorry," but that does not change the fact that this young woman - and her baby - are dead. Perhaps if Planned Parenthood would stop killing in the name of "choice," people could believe it is truly sorry.

Planned Parenthood continuing a legacy of harm to women in 21st century

Planned Parenthood likes to portray itself as a respected health care facility, but more and more evidence is emerging on the harm it does to women and their babies. Some of the incidents that have come to light in recent years are:

• In 2000, a Missouri woman went into a coma after she allegedly went without oxygen for a period of time during tubal ligation surgery at Planned Parenthood. Afterward she entered a persistent vegetative state.
• In 2001, Planned Parenthood Mohawk-Hudson agreed to pay a New York woman $1 million because it had repeatedly insisted she did not have breast cancer when she did.
• In 2001, a San Francisco court decision awarded $672,610 in damages to a Yugoslav immigrant whose preborn child suffered the loss of two limbs during a botched abortion at Planned Parenthood Golden Gate.
• In 2003, the California Department of Health Services cited a Los Angeles Planned Parenthood facility for numerous deficiencies following the death of Diana Lopez. She bled to death in 2002 after her cervix was allegedly punctured during an abortion. The Sacramento Bee reported that the state found the following deficiencies:
  • Failure to contact the state within 24 hours after Lopez was taken to a hospital, as required by the state. The state was notified six days after Lopez died.
  • Failure to implement a policy that would have advised against an abortion for Lopez because her hemoglobin (a substance in the blood) was too low.
  • Inappropriate use of misoprostol, a drug used to promote contractions. Surgical abortion policy dictates that the drug may be given 90 minutes before an abortion. Records show Lopez was given the drug a day earlier.
  • Failure by the clinic's board of directors to "exercise oversight responsibility for ensuring the operation of the clinic." Minutes from board meetings, for example, did not document "any adverse outcome related to patient care within the facility."
  • Failure to keep a detailed health record on Lopez including her diagnoses, type of anesthesia used during the procedure, surgical findings and the procedure performed.
  • According to the newspaper, the state also said the clinic failed to obtain a valid informed consent from the patient prior to surgery. A "reproductive health specialist," instead of the physician performing the procedure, had obtained the signed consent, which does not meet state requirements.
• In September 2003, Holly Patterson died after receiving a medical abortion at Planned Parenthood in Hayward, California.
• In December, 2003, Hoa Thay Tran died after receiving a medical abortion at Planned Parenthood in Costa Mesa, California.

It should be noted that such cases at Planned Parenthood facilities are not new. In his 1997 book, The Scarlet Survey, researcher Kevin Sherlock documented over 140 lawsuits filed against Planned Parenthood facilities all across the country, including claims of medical malpractice, violations of health codes, medical record and patient care deficiencies, unsanitary conditions, altered lab reports, fraudulent billing, equipment and utility deficiencies, sex offenses, and so on.

Such tragedies show that Planned Parenthood is a dangerous place, not only for babies, but also for grown women. It is time those opposed to Planned Parenthood investigated lawsuits against their local PP affiliates and then publicized those lawsuits in their communities. If you care to have this research done, or if you would like to have a website created or improved for you, send an e-mail to stopp@all.org and we'll put you in touch with a person who has experience doing what you are looking for.

Planned Parenthood harming teens with so-called abstinence education program

In addition to the physical harm done to women and babies at its clinics, Planned Parenthood "educators" often inflict psychological harm on young teens and give advice that could lead to physical maladies.

Recently, Planned Parenthood in Waco, Texas held a seminar titled "Making Sense of Abstinence." In a Waco Tribune-Herald article before the seminar was held, the education director for Planned Parenthood of Central Texas was quoted as saying, "We're singing the same song. But we're trying to explain better and attract people who think the abstinence-only camp is the only place to be. We're trying to broaden the welcome mat."

What does PP really think of abstinence? Well, the speaker for the day was Bill Taverner, director of the Center for Family Life Education, which is the education department of Planned Parenthood of Greater Northern New Jersey. Taverner defines abstinence as not engaging in sexual intercourse, oral sex or anal sex. But an important part of the seminar, he said, is teaching educators to help teens develop their own definition of abstinence (emphasis added) which may be more or less restrictive. Taverner is quoted as saying, "We want to teach abstinence in a way that is respectful of young people and acknowledges the reality of teen sexual behavior,"

Wow! Young children can, according to Planned Parenthood, define abstinence anyway they want. This is bringing moral relativism to even higher levels. One wonders whether PP would allow teens to develop their own definition of drunk driving. It is clearly time Planned Parenthood is STOPPed. To begin a fight against Planned Parenthood in your community, visit our website or e-mail us at stopp@all.org.

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