In the wake of the controversy, pro-life organization, Center for Medical Progress, has released an unedited video of the lunch between their officials and the CEO of Stem Express.
Stemming from approximately about three months ago, the organization that is resourceful in both reproductive and sexual health, Planned Parenthood, has been accused of selling fetal tissue. These claims have been formulated after a release of four videos. One such video recorded a lunch meeting between the CEO of Stem Express Cate Dryer, an affiliate of Planned Parenthood, and another company. According to numerous sources, it is stated that the CEO laughs about selling fetuses to potential clients.
Despite the original claim that California-based Center for Medical Progress made towards Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood claims that they donate the tissue for scientific research and is only receiving reimbursement for their expenses.
Yet, the California-based Center for Medical progress, an anti-abortion group, released a video where they secretly videotaped a three hour conversation with a Planned Parenthood doctor. Dr. Deborah Nucatola explained the process in which the deal is made. Also, she explained that they do their best to save as much of the specimen as possible.
When Dr. Nucatola is asked about price ranges she said “probably anywhere from 30$-100$ [per specimen] depending on the facility and what’s involved”. When asked, if they believe that Planned Parenthood is selling the fetuses for profit, Senior Linda Noriega said, “I think they are, It always goes back to the money”.
Later on in the Video Dr. Nucatola said that “[Planned Parenthood] has been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, [we’re] not going to crush that part.” This has been controversial and greatly discussed. It’s believed that by saying this, Dr. Nucatola is affirming that they don’t want to crush or destroy those organs because they economically beneficial.
Also, it is mentioned that by making sure that they save as much as the specimen during the abortion they might potentially injure the mother. This idea comes from the fact that during the abortion the doctor might change the presentation of the specimen so that it’s breech, (feet first) that way there is enough dilation to get the calvarium, (heart) intact. They use ultrasound guidance to do this procedure. Yet, using ultrasound guidance to convert a fetus to breech position and extract the intact fetus up to the head is identical to the illegal partial-birth abortion procedure.
At the end of one of our interviews, Linda, was asked if this in anyway changed her perspective of Planned Parenthood, and if she would want Planned Parenthood to continue their services at APB she said, “ I thought Planned Parenthood was supposed to help teens that needed help, living humans, not destroy and sell a tiny one” , “I won’t ever support them”.
However, Animo Pat Brown student, Jazmin Ramirez is mostly supporting Planned Parenthood through this controversy. When asked of her opinion of the situation, she states that “Planned Parenthood shouldn’t be condemned for it…Planned Parenthood covers much more than abortions”.
Moreover, she specifically says that, “only 3% of what they do is based on abortion” . She is also in favor of keeping the Planned Parenthood program here, at Animo Pat Brown, because students are informed on how to practice good sexual health. Yet, Jazmin does make it clear that she does not advocate because she is “pro-life” but there is a silver lining because of all of the research.
In similar to Jazmin’s comment about the video, Damon Johnson, an administrator for Animo Pat Brown, shared his thoughts in an interview that abortions seems morally wrong because it involves unborn human beings killed and sold, however, favors the people’s rights to make their own decisions.
“Of course if you look at the video you are gonna be like aww that’s so wrong because it’s a human being that is still alive.. However, until the government changes the definition of an actual born person, abortion is going to be legal”. He went on saying that “Planned Parenthood is a good organization”.
The unedited video can be perceived in many ways, however, it can be concluded that Planned Parenthood has been questioned of its authority in the last few months. What that authority is and to what extent it can reach, is a question that is yet to reach a consensus.