Should abortion clinics be regulated in America?

In the United States, only 23 states have health and safety regulations for abortion clinics. In eight states, laws are on the books but are being blocked by court action from Planned Parenthood and other pro-choice organizations. Planned Parenthood generally opposes measures that would require clinics to be inspected and meet a list of health standards, claiming that such regulations would either drive up the cost of abortions by requiring clinics to make changes or close the clinics altogether, since most clinics do not meet these standards already.

For example, when there was legislation in Virginia (SB 1270) Planned Parenthood released a factsheet saying:

"The real impact of this bill would be to dramatically decrease access to safe abortion services in Virginia." It called the restrictions "unnecessary and unreasonable" and said they would "make abortions prohibitory expensive" for women.

Here is what the bill actually states:

"....all abortion clinics, defined as any facility other than a hospital or an ambulatory surgery center in which 25 or more first trimester abortions are performed in any 12-month period, [are] to be licensed and to comply with the requirements currently in place for ambulatory surgery centers except the requirement for a certificate of public need. The Board of Health may also waive certain structural requirements."

So this law would not impose a single regulation on clinics that was not already in place for all other forms of surgery. In fact, it would impose less- structural mandates and a requirement for a certificate would be omitted.

Planned Parenthood, however, fought to prevent their clinics from being made to adhere any standards at all.

The bill was defeated- Planned Parenthood won, and now there are no health guidelines for abortion clinics in Virginia.

PP continues to oppose any and all regulations on abortion's safety.

Is this right?

The lack of regulation has led to conditions such as those in a Kansas abortion clinic which, after operating legally for years, was finally inspected after being charged with criminal botched abortions. The detective said:

"There was an unfamiliar type stench in the room. Frankly, I was reluctant to sit down... Bear in mind, I am an experienced police officer who has worked in every aspect in law enforcement and had spent my last five years in the homicide unit where I worked countless community deaths. I thought I had heard and seen every vile, disgusting crime scene but was in for a new shock when I started this investigation."

Detective William Howard Jr. Kansas City. Kansas Police Department Eyewitness Testimony of Officer, House Committee on Health and Humices, March 15,2005

Few pro-choice people are aware of the role Planned Parenthood plays in blocking inspections of abortion clinics. In 1989, a Florida clinic that had been operating legally for years was finally inspected by the health department:

"There was actually an abortion suction device in this place that had green mold growing in it, When we got there, there wasn't any soap in the place, so our inspectors had to go next door to wash their hands. No matter how hard they searched, clinic personnel couldn't find a single sanitary surgical glove in the entire clinic. Patients recovering from general anesthetic were attended by untrained, unlicensed personnel. And an oxygen mask still had lipstick on it from a patient who had needed it some time before. In addition, the expiration date had passed on nearly 70 different kinds of medication being used in the facility. These are deplorable conditions. The clinic appears to be little more than a satellite operation of the back alley abortion mill we closed early this week. We are powerless to ensure that women will receive safe, adequate health care in abortion clinics."

Secretary Gregory L. Coler, Florida Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services

PR Newswire, Florida HRS secretary closes second Miami abortion clinic, 9/27/1989

There are dozens more stories like this at http://clinicquotes.com/site/story.php?id=80