In recent weeks, anti-abortion group The Center for Medical Progress has released secret footage of interviews with Senior Medical Directors for its Los Angeles, Pasadena, and San Gabriel centers. Footage seems to show Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Senior Director of Medical Services for the Greater Los Angeles Area, and Dr. Mary Gatter, Medical Director for Pasadena and San Gabriel, discussing the sale of fetal organs to a "biofirm" medical research company.
The controversial videos come at a time when members of the GOP, and a handful of Democrats, are seeking to end federal funding of The Planned Parenthood Federation of America. The organization first began receiving federal money in 1970 when Richard Nixon signed the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act.
On January 14, 2014, CNSNews.com - a conservative news group - reported that Planned Parenthood had been allocated $504.6 million in federal funding. Therein lies the issue for members of the GOP and anti-abortion activists: in the same year, Planned Parenthood performed 327,166 abortions nationwide. The sticking point comes from Title X of the Public Health Service Act denies any and all federal funding for programs in which abortion is used as a method of family planning.
Spokespersons for Planned Parenthood are adamant that the organization neither profits from the donation of fetal organs nor do they allocate federal funds toward abortion programs.
Whether Planned Parenthood is guilty of using federal funds for its abortion programs still remains to be seen, but what should be kept in mind is that the organization provides an extensive number of services beyond abortion. In fact, the total number of abortions performed last year only accounts for 3% of the total services performed by Planned Parenthood last year.
Here Are Five Very Important Reasons to Stand With Planned Parenthood:
1. STI/STD Testing & Treatment
In 2014, PPFA (Planned Parenthood Federation of America) performed 3,728,111 STI/STD tests alone. For HIV specific tests, PPFA reported 697,680 tests performed nationwide, twice the number of abortions performed last year.
The organization reported 4.469,308 STI/STD related services performed last year.
Total percent of services: 41%
2. Contraception
Last year, the number of reversible contraception patients totaled 2,129,855. PPFA defines reversible contraception as such procedures as oral contraception, IUDs, non-prescription barriers, progestin-only injectables, hormone patch, etc. PPFA also provided 1,590,133 emergency contraception kits in 2014.
The organization reported 3,724,558 contraceptive services provided last year.
Total percent of services: 34%
3. Cancer Screening and Prevention
The largest portion of screening and prevention services is breast exams and breast care. The number totals 549,804 exams performed last year. PPFA also provided women with 492,365 PAP smears.
FYI, cancer is the #2 cause of death in women in the United States.
The organization reported 1,121,580 screening and prevention services provided last year.
Total percent of services: 10%
4. Other Women's Health Services
The largest portion of services provided in this category is pregnancy tests, a number that PPFA reported to be at 1,148,249 in 2014.
The organization a total of 1,167,755 services provided last year.
Total percent of services: 11%
5. Other Services
Last year, PPFA performed 52,947 treatments for urinary tract infections. They also perform an extensive number of family practice services totaling 41,359.
In total, the organization reported a total number of 123,308 other medical services provided in 2014.
So, yes, the Planned Parenthood Federation of America is the largest single provider of abortions in the United States, with a reported total of 327,166. But it is also the largest single provider of sex education programs, free contraception and STD testing, pregnancy tests and prenatal care, and more important and invaluable programs. A vote against PPFA's practice of abortions is a vote against the preventative and palliate care provided free of charge. In fact, support and funding for Planned Parenthood increases the preventative measures available for families through education and contraceptives. We should keep funding Planned Parenthood and other programs like it, and rather than fight against the tiny "bad" thing, we should be fighting for all the really big "good" things those organizations provide. And maybe, if we work to increase prevention and education programs, we can get rid of the need for programs in which abortion is a family planning method, and therefore, ending this debate after all.
