Planned Parenthood has been embroiled in controversy surrounding its fetal tissue donation process since July 14, when The Center for Medical Progress released the first in a supposed series of undercover sting videos that shows the organization allegedly participating in illegal dealings. Higher ups at the pro-choice group have consistently defended the organization, saying that they do not make profit on tissue donations. Now, Planned Parenthood is on the offensive.
On Monday, the organization's offices in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota sent out a letter to news outlets warning them that airing the sting videos can lead to a violation of patient privacy, according to KVLY-TV in North Dakota.
"CMP has used footage obtained through deceit and unlawful behavior, including possible violations of state recording laws, federal tax laws and falsified state identification. Then, they concoct wildly false stories through selective editing," the letter states.
Read the complete letter bellow:
To: North Dakota Health and Political Reporters and Producers
From: Jen XXXXXX, Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota
Date: July 27, 2015
Re: Center for Medical Progress Expected to Violate Patient Privacy
The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) is an extreme activist organization whose sole mission is to prevent women from accessing health care and to destroy Planned Parenthood. The board members of this group believe that abortion is "genocide," and employ people who went to jail for attempting to bomb a women's health clinic. They are also connected with the man who murdered abortion provider Dr. George Tiller.
CMP has used footage obtained through deceit and unlawful behavior, including possible violations of state recording laws, federal tax laws and falsified state identification. Then, they concoct wildly false stories through selective editing. We expect this video will be no different in that regard; however, footage yet to come is expected to represent an extreme violation of patient privacy by including footage of post-abortion fetal tissue neither patients nor health care professionals authorized be filmed.
When your network decides whether to consider this story newsworthy, or whether to use any of this footage at all, we urge you to keep this in mind: The extremists who entered Planned Parenthood labs under false pretenses violated research protocol, and, worse, violated the privacy of patients involved. Those patients' privacy should not be further violated by having this footage shared by the media.
The storage and examination processes that CMP used to get this footage are medically necessary. It is necessary medical professionals ensure an abortion is complete so that patients do not get an infection. When tissue is donated for medical research, these steps are also necessary for the donations to be completed. It is also medically necessary that researchers evaluate the laboratory procedures of a medical provider for safety standards and best practices.
Some of the conversations and protocols that occur in medical settings and among professional peers can sound jarring when taken out of context. While this can be difficult to hear or watch, it should not be used as an excuse to defund Planned Parenthood.
CMP gained access to Planned Parenthood facilities under false pretenses and filmed without securing approval from the Planned Parenthood staff being filmed or the patients whose privacy is compromised by this secret videotaping. The material should not be aired.
