Planned Parenthood under fire for selling aborted fetal organs/body parts on black market

[Mr. Ambien]

A technician who said she worked for a company that partnered with Planned Parenthood to harvest fetal tissue said there’s “incentive to try and get the hard stuff ‘cause you’re going to get more money,” in the latest undercover video targeting Planned Parenthood.

“For whatever we could procure, they would get a certain percentage,” said Holly O’Donnell, identified as an ex-procurement technician for StemExpress, a Placerville, Calif., company. “The main nurse was always trying to make sure we got our specimens. No one else really cared, but the main nurse did because she knew that Planned Parenthood was getting compensated.”

The new, graphic video from the Center for Medical Progress appears to show technicians using tweezers to pick through aborted fetal tissue for baby parts. After one person in the video picks out a pair of intact kidneys someone off-camera laughs and says, “Five stars!”

O’Donnell said she fainted the first time she was part of this process and was told by someone in the room, “some of us don’t ever get over it.”

O'Donnell said she worked for six months identifying pregnant women at Planned Parenthood who met the standards for fetal tissue orders and then helped to harvest fetal body parts after abortions at Planned Parenthood facilities.

StemExpress “supplies human blood, tissue products, primary cells and other clinical specimens to biomedical researchers around the world,” according to its website.

O’Donnell describes the company a different way.

“StemExpress is a company that hires procurement techs to draw blood and dissect dead fetuses and sell the parts to researchers,” she said. “They’ve partnered with Planned Parenthood and they get part of the money because we pay them to use their facilities. And they get paid from it. They do get some kind of benefit.”

Planned Parenthood has denied selling fetal tissue for a profit, which is against federal law.

“If you can somehow procure a brain or a heart you’re going to get more money than just Chorionic villi or umbilical cord,” O’Donnell said.

The video is the third to be released by the Center for Medical Progress. Like the first two, it contains undercover video of Planned Parenthood officials and associates, but is heavily reliant on an interview with O’Donnell.

Previous videos show Dr. Mary Gatter, a Planned Parenthood medical director in Southern California, meeting with people posing as buyers of fetal specimens. The conversation focuses on how much money the buyers should pay, although Planned Parenthood insists that it only sought to cover its expenses. The videos have brought investigations of Planned Parenthood's policies on aborted fetuses by three Republican-led congressional committees and three states.

Federal law prohibits the commercial sale of fetal tissue, but it allows the not-for-profit donation of tissue if the women who underwent abortions give their consent. Planned Parenthood says the payments discussed in the videos pertain to reimbursement for the costs of procuring the tissue -- which is legal.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/07/28/new-planned-parenthood-video-focuses-on-payment-for-fetal-tissue/?intcmp=hpbt1

It took me a while to wrap my head around this, but even as someone who is pro-choice, this is disgusting on a whole new level.

[thejazz97]

this is disgusting on a whole new level.

Agreed, smh. You can't shouldn't openly support one thing and then make a profit off of the product of the exact opposite stance.

Got my facts mixed up. Still bad, though.

[nuckin_futz]

"Under fire"?

Shouldn't they be under arrest?

[riffraff]

[falcon45ca]

This is absurd, Planned Parenthood makes NO PROFIT from the sale of tissues, they simply recover costs associated with storage & transport of said tissues. Those tissues save lives, & since abortion is legal, if the tissues were not used for research & saving lives then they'd simply be thrown in the trash.

The videos that have been released have been heavily edited, in one of them the "seller" i.e. Planned Parenthood, offers that the tissues could be purchased for $50 instead of $75...why would anyone trying to make a profit low-ball themselves? Simple, because they aren't, they're simply trying to recoup costs.

This is a lame attempt to get funding for Planned Parenthood pulled a la ACORN.

[falcon45ca]

"Under fire"?

Shouldn't they be under arrest?

No, do some digging. There is absolutely nothing illegal happening, & for that matter nothing immoral. Planned Parenthood is simply recovering costs...it costs money to store & transport the tissues, that's all that Planned Parenthood tries to recover.

This is a witch hunt, pure & simple, by pro-lifers who would love to see Planned Parenthood lose their funding...despite the fact that abortion services are a tiny, minuscule portion of the work that PP does for women.

[etsen3]

I'll reserve further judgment until it's actually proven that they are profiting off of this. If they are really just trying to recover costs, then there's nothing illegal or "black market" about it.

Having said that, the callous nature of the comments made in the video is pretty disturbing, even to a pro-choice person like myself. It's still a sensitive issue that should be treated with respect. She must be pretty desensitized to be making comments like that, and it only undermines their cause.

[Mr. Ambien]

No, do some digging. There is absolutely nothing illegal happening, & for that matter nothing immoral. Planned Parenthood is simply recovering costs...it costs money to store & transport the tissues, that's all that Planned Parenthood tries to recover.

This is a witch hunt, pure & simple, by pro-lifers who would love to see Planned Parenthood lose their funding...despite the fact that abortion services are a tiny, minuscule portion of the work that PP does for women.

It would be a terrible witch hunt.

McConnell and Republicans are doing a voice vote (to avoid recorded vote) because they want the government completely take over PP and keep funding it. Really it's only what, 3 Republicans in the Senate that are throwing a fit?

Anyways, there's a huge investigation over this. The President of PP has been caught on video negotiating prices privately, one time at a restaurant dining with someone she was soliciting fetal parts to. This is what for-profit does. It's also &^@#ing abhorrent.

[falcon45ca]

It would be a terrible witch hunt.

McConnell and Republicans are doing a voice vote (to avoid recorded vote) because they want the government completely take over PP and keep funding it. Really it's only what, 3 Republicans in the Senate that are throwing a fit?

Anyways, there's a huge investigation over this. The President of PP has been caught on video negotiating prices privately, one time at a restaurant dining with someone she was soliciting fetal parts to. This is what for-profit does. It's also ???? abhorrent.

That's the point, IF the federal gov't takes over PP & funds it completely then there will be no access to abortions via PP because there is a federal law in place that prohibits the government from funding abortions. Tricky, isn't it?

Oh, & the video where the President of the Medical Directors of PP negotiates the price? That executive negotiated DOWN the price, she clearly states that they could do $50 instead of $75 a specimen...the buyer, i.e. the stooge trying to set her up, tries to INCREASE the price to $100.

That is the complete OPPOSITE of a for-profit business model. It is, however, what you would do if you're simply trying to recover costs. Watch the video, the stooge literally tells the exec. NOT to low-ball it, the exec. CLEARLY states they aren't trying to make money. Wake. Up. This is a very, very subtle & effective way of getting abortion services out of PP.

[nucklehead]

"Under fire"?

Shouldn't they be under arrest?

What for? There's no law against it. Seems like a natural extension of their organizations interests to me.

[Mr. Ambien]

That's the point, IF the federal gov't takes over PP & funds it completely then there will be no access to abortions via PP because there is a federal law in place that prohibits the government from funding abortions. Tricky, isn't it?

Oh, & the video where the President of the Medical Directors of PP negotiates the price? That executive negotiated DOWN the price, she clearly states that they could do $50 instead of $75 a specimen...the buyer, i.e. the stooge trying to set her up, tries to INCREASE the price to $100.

That is the complete OPPOSITE of a for-profit business model. It is, however, what you would do if you're simply trying to recover costs. Watch the video, the stooge literally tells the exec. NOT to low-ball it, the exec. CLEARLY states they aren't trying to make money. Wake. Up. This is a very, very subtle & effective way of getting abortion services out of PP.

She doesn't try to increase the price, the President complains of being lowballed and while I agree with you saying the person doing the video may be enticing her (obviously there's an underlying purpose for this video -- which is irrelevant if they prove their case), they also ask what she thinks the price should be, without regard to her concern for being lowballed.

As someone who has worked outside sales, it looks more like this than it does NPO's discussing prices.

I also don't understand how the feds taking over means no access to abortions. They can't just undo Roe v. Wade at their own discretion. That's quite reaching. The most adamant pro-lifers in the Senate do not want the government involved in PP.

[falcon45ca]

She doesn't try to increase the price, the President complains of being lowballed and while I agree with you saying the person doing the video may be enticing her (obviously there's an underlying purpose for this video -- which is irrelevant if they prove their case), they also ask what she thinks the price should be, without regard to her concern for being lowballed.

Ummm, I think you're confused as to who is who in the video. The older lady across the table, in the green blouse? She's the PP exec., she quite clearly says $75 a specimen & then says they could do $50. The lady you don't see, but just hear her voice? That's the stooge. That's the lady who says "Don't low ball it....$75 is too low....they're thinking $100". Get it? The BUYER, the stooge, wants to pay MORE, but the SELLER, PP exec, offers them to pay LESS...is that how a for-profit business works?

No the feds can't undo Roe v. Wade, but the federal gov't is ALSO not allowed to directly fund abortions. Ergo, if the feds take over PP then the gov't WOULD be funding abortions, so PP would have to stop offering those services. That's why pro-lifer's don't want the gov't directly involved in PP.

[falcon45ca]

Here's the video. Watch the buyer/stooge get shocked at being offered a "low-ball" offer to buy the tissue, & then the PP exec say she would also offer $50 & that PP is not trying to make money. The buyer then offers to buy the tissues for $100. Total. B.S.

That section of the video starts at about 2:35

[Ghostsof1915]

First of all until it's out of the womb, what a woman does with her body is her damn business. My Mom was a nurse, when abortion is illegal, they will go get abortions done by people who have no medical training, out in back rooms, and probably cause more damage to the woman, possibly serious injuries, or perhaps internal damage leading to death.

Secondly. There's 8 billion people on this planet. That's double what it was when I was 8 years old. Planned Parenthood also tries to help couples keep the population down by having fewer children.

If people are so pro-life, put their money where their mouth is and adopt as many kids as you can afford. Oh no, they'd rather shoot doctors and medical staff instead. I'm pretty sure this just another damn witchhunt by the religious right.

You can't be against sex education, and then say well it's not my problem when a couple has a pregnancy.

By the way Ambien, are you paid by Fox News? Or just brainwashed by the garbage they spew.

[Lockout Casualty]

Another Fox story aimed to mislead and manufacture outrage. Only took falcon45ca a handful of posts to get Ambien to abandon thread. Nicely done.

[Jaimito]

Aborted fetuses are not treated the same as dead babies or child.

When was the last grave you saw for a aborted fetus? Most of the fetuses I see are in a medical lab or museum.

I think the issue here is more about consent and disclosure. Do those underwent abortions knew this? Is permission necessary? Most aborted tissues are just just treated like biohazard garbage/trash. Selling trash is not unethical. Not much different than selling your appendix after the surgeon cuts it out.

[drummer4now]

First of all until it's out of the womb, what a woman does with her body is her damn business. My Mom was a nurse, when abortion is illegal, they will go get abortions done by people who have no medical training, out in back rooms, and probably cause more damage to the woman, possibly serious injuries, or perhaps internal damage leading to death.

Secondly. There's 8 billion people on this planet. That's double what it was when I was 8 years old. Planned Parenthood also tries to help couples keep the population down by having fewer children.

If people are so pro-life, put their money where their mouth is and adopt as many kids as you can afford. Oh no, they'd rather shoot doctors and medical staff instead. I'm pretty sure this just another damn witchhunt by the religious right.

You can't be against sex education, and then say well it's not my problem when a couple has a pregnancy.

By the way Ambien, are you paid by Fox News? Or just brainwashed by the garbage they spew.

First off there are like 7 billion people in the world... So your're like a billion or so off

Second off most people who are pro-life aren't necessarily ultra religious or even religious for that matter, but instead value basic human life..

My problem with abortion is were is the value of a humans life when someone can choose to kill a potential human being? Based on some pro-abortion logic why is killing a baby wrong, but not a fetuses?

I only support abortion for rare cases like rape, potential medical harm to the mother and or baby, accidental pregnancies,etc..

Not when someone has unprotected sex on purpose and was too lazy to use a condom or birth control pill..

But as a general rule I am fine with planned parenting selling tissue or any parts of a human fetus if it can save a humans life in the future rather than throwing to waste..

Also overpopulation is only an issue in third world regions were abortions, condoms, and birth control should be heavily marketed..

We actually need people here..

Aborted fetuses are not treated the same as dead babies or child.

When was the last grave you saw for a aborted fetus? Most of the fetuses I see are in a medical lab or museum.

I think the issue here is more about consent and disclosure. Do those underwent abortions knew this? Is permission necessary? Most aborted tissues are just just treated like biohazard garbage/trash. Selling trash is not unethical. Not much different than selling your appendix after the surgeon cuts it out.

Agreed better than it being burned in some incinerator or something..

[Mr. Ambien]

Aborted fetuses are not treated the same as dead babies or child.

When was the last grave you saw for a aborted fetus? Most of the fetuses I see are in a medical lab or museum.

I think the issue here is more about consent and disclosure. Do those underwent abortions knew this? Is permission necessary? Most aborted tissues are just just treated like biohazard garbage/trash. Selling trash is not unethical. Not much different than selling your appendix after the surgeon cuts it out.

That would be a non issue except in one video where one of the PP nurses negotiating was discussing how to maximize profit, and in another, a PP director talking about doing better than "breaking even", also indicating profit motives.

Hence why PP has now went to hiring a marketing firm to try and do damage control.

[Kragar]

First off there are like 7 billion people in the world... So your're like a billion or so off

Second off most people who are pro-life aren't necessarily ultra religious or even religious for that matter, but instead value basic human life..

My problem with abortion is were is the value of a humans life when someone can choose to kill a potential human being? Based on some pro-abortion logic why is killing a baby wrong, but not a fetuses?

I only support abortion for rare cases like rape, potential medical harm to the mother and or baby, accidental pregnancies,etc..

Not when someone has unprotected sex on purpose and was too lazy to use a condom or birth control pill..

But as a general rule I am fine with planned parenting selling tissue or any parts of a human fetus if it can save a humans life in the future rather than throwing to waste..

Also overpopulation is only an issue in third world regions were abortions, condoms, and birth control should be heavily marketed..

We actually need people here..

Agreed better than it being burned in some incinerator or something..

Figured it was rare enough that we agreed (more or less) on something lately that I should give you a +1 here. I would lower it to around 0.6 to 0.8 if I could , but on the main points I'm there with you.

Since the greater proportion (based on demographics) of PP abortion clients are black or Hispanic, both of which groups are typically more Christian/Catholic than the average American, it would seem that religion is less of an issue here than Ghost would like it to appear.

[WHL rocks]

I don't care if this is illegal or not. It's absolutely horrifying that aborted baby organs are being sold. In one video they discussed how to re position the baby via ultrasound so the feet come out first and the organs can be harvested, then at the end the skull is crushed to kill the unborn baby.

I'm pro choice but this is something that seems evil.