Planned Parenthood to Stop Selling Baby Organs, Will Still Give Remains to Researchers

Planned Parenthood Federation of America CEO Cecile Richards announced today that Planned Parenthood no longer plans to sell organs harvested from aborted fetal remains to scientists–although it still plans to give the organs to researchers.

The move comes in the wake of a series of undercover videos exposing Planned Parenthood officials allegedly negotiating the sale of aborted fetal remains in violation of federal law.

Richards recently testified before members of Congress about the organization’s practices. Her letter to the National Institute of Health acknowledges that Planned Parenthood will continue to give organs harvested from aborted babies to researchers; Planned Parenthood affiliates simply will receive no compensation for the organs.

Of course, there are still serious ethical questions about medical research conducted on organs harvest from aborted babies, as we have written before, so this is by no means a solution to the situation. However, this is a step in the right direction.

Pro-Life Law Protecting Minors Working as Intended

fiteIn 2013 Rep. Charlene Fite (R-Van Buren) sponsored Act 725 which amends Arkansas’ Child Maltreatment Act.

Under Act 725, when a girl under the age of fourteen gets an abortion, the abortion facility must send tissue samples from the aborted baby to the State Crime Lab and contact the local law enforcement agency in the area where the girl resides.

The law also makes abortion clinic employees mandatory reporters of child abuse.

By notifying the State Crime Laboratory and local law enforcement, the state can ensure a girl obtaining an abortion is not the victim of a crime.

Act 725 of 2013 protects minors from being exploited by adults or coerced into having an abortion.

According to a recent article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Act 725 of 2013 has resulted in one arrest in the past year, which would seem to indicate the law is working as intended.

A.G.’s Petition Could Set Stage to Overturn Roe v. Wade

Earlier this week we wrote how Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to review and uphold Arkansas’ Human Heartbeat Protection law, which prohibits most abortions after the twelfth week of pregnancy if a fetal heartbeat is detected.

Specifically, we have highlighted the fact that the A.G. has asked the court to review the so-called “viability rule” that restricts states from protecting unborn children early in pregnancy.

There is another component to the state’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court: In a roundabout way, the Attorney General’s petition asks the U.S. Supreme Court a question that sets the stage to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Here is how: (more…)