December 21, 2012/New York, NY/Operation Rescue --
A "study" released by Planned Parenthood employees and sympathizers has concluded - based on incomplete numbers - that the abortion pill is "safe", despite admitting to a reported 385 "serious" complications, including at least one abortion pill-related death from 2009-2010.
The study group consisted of two Planned Parenthood employees, one member of a Planned Parenthood advisory group, and a fourth member who receives financial compensation from Danco Laboratories, the U.S. distributor for the abortion pill mifepristone, also known as RU486.
"This is perhaps one of the most self-serving studies ever conducted," said Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue. "These so-called researchers have a vested interest in protecting medication abortions because this is what they are banking on to expand abortion services and increase profits for Planned Parenthood, especially in a time when states are working at a fever pitch to defund them."
In 2010, Operation Rescue uncovered Planned Parenthood's secret strategy to expand their doctorless telemed abortion scheme to every Planned Parenthood office. Since then several states have outlawed the webcam distribution of abortion pills, and others have insisted that Planned Parenthood follow FDA protocols, which they currently ignore.
That year, Planned Parenthood mandated that every affiliate have at least one office that provides abortion services, causing affiliates in Texas, Missouri, and New York to defect rather than comply.
During the study period, one woman died from an undiagnosed ectopic pregnancy after a medication abortion had been attempted. Seven other women suffered serious but non-fatal complications from undiagnosed ectopic pregnancies where medication abortions were attempted.
According to the statistics released, the abortion pill failed for 1,169 women. A report carried by Reuters on December 20, 2012, there were 385 serious complications reported during the study period, "including 238 who sought ER treatment, 135 who were admitted to the hospital, 114 who had a blood transfusion and 57 who required intravenous antibiotics."
"The number of women rushed to the hospital far exceeds what we originally thought or have been able to document. This shows that Planned Parenthood goes to great lengths to conceal the number of complications," said Sullenger.
However, the Planned Parenthood study group acknowledges that those numbers may not be accurate because a large number of women failed to report back for follow-up after receiving abortion pills. Any complications those women experienced remain unknown.
"This report is the farthest thing from an unbiased study there is," said Sullenger. "In spite of the obvious spin, this data paints a frightening picture of unmonitored abortions with little to no follow up where women play the equivalent of Russian Roulette with their lives and health when they submit to medication abortions at Planned Parenthood."
