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The Center for Medical Progress, an anti-abortion group, recorded undercover video of Dr. Mary Gatter, Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Medical Directors’ Council president, discussing fetal tissue donations.
Stealth videos released by an anti-abortion group have highlighted the murky guidelines for using fetal tissue for research purposes.
The group, called the Center for Medical Progress, accuses Planned Parenthood of selling aborted fetuses for a profit, a charge Planned Parenthood has denied. One of its videos, recorded in secret and released July 14, 2015, shows members of the anti-abortion group posing as tissue brokers discussing terms for procuring fetal tissue.
To some, it appeared that Planned Parenthood was proposing to illegally sell tissue, prompting lawmakers in several states to launch investigations and Republicans in Congress to attempt cutting off more than $500 million in federal money. But Planned Parenthood maintains that its process is legal and limited to a handful of states.
Confused about what’s going on? PolitiFact dug in, coming up with eight things we know — and don’t know — about fetal tissue donation and Planned Parenthood. SEE IT ALL HERE.
Meanwhile in Texas... MOSTLY FALSE: John Cornyn tweet about Planned Parenthood and violation of Hyde amendment.
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Our Sources
The Advocate, "Gov. Bobby Jindal cancels state contract, says Planned Parenthood not worthy of getting state assistance," Aug. 4, 2015
The Economist, "The tissue trade," Aug. 1, 2015
The Blaze, "Planned Parenthood Sells Dead Baby Parts, And That Shouldn’t Shock You At All," Jul. 14, 2015
Bustle, "Donating Fetal Tissue After An Abortion Or Miscarriage Is Totally Legal — And It's Actually A Great Thing," July 2015
The Christian Science Monitor, "Planned Parenthood under fire: Is fetal tissue donation legal?," Jul. 17, 2015
U.S. Government Printing Office, "Prohibitions regarding human fetal tissue," 2010
Huffington Post, "McConnell Voted In 1993 To Legalize Fetal Tissue Donations After Abortion," Jul. 24, 2015
Uniform Law Commission, "Anatomical Gift Act (2006) Summary"
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, "National Institutes of Health Revitalization Act of 1993, Part II - Research on Transplantation of Fetal Tissue," June 10, 1993
The Atlantic, "What Does the Planned Parenthood Video Show?," Jul. 15, 2015
WCSH Portland, "Planned Parenthood: no tissue donations in NNE," Aug. 1, 2015
Tampa Bay Times, "Citing video, Gov. Rick Scott calls for investigation into Planned Parenthood," Jul. 29, 2015
Fox 59 Indianapolis, "State wraps up its investigation into Planned Parenthood, says group in compliance," Jul. 30, 2015
Sacramento Business Journal, "StemExpress wins court order in video flap with anti-abortion group," Jul. 29, 2015
New York Times, "Fetal Tissue From Abortions for Research Is Traded in a Gray Zone," Jul. 27, 2015
Washington Post, "Congressional, state investigations into Planned Parenthood underway after undercover video goes viral," Jul. 15, 2015
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, "Assembly GOP lawmakers vow to quickly pass fetal tissue bill," Jul. 29, 2015
USA Today, "States play catch-up on stem cells," Dec. 17, 2004
NewsOK, "Kansas ban on profiting from fetal tissue sales in spotlight," Jul. 22, 2015
The Sacramento Bee, "Placerville company accused of involvement in Planned Parenthood controversy," Jul. 15, 2015
Inc., "Stem Express," 2014
Stem Express, "Statement of StemExpress Concerning Recent Media Stories," Jul. 16, 2015
Planned Parenthood Federation of America, "Form 990, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc.," 2013
Fox News, "Indiana finds no Planned Parenthood abortion violations after undercover videos prompt probe," Jul. 30, 2015
New England Cable News, "Planned Parenthood: No Tissue Donations in Northern New England," Aug. 1, 2015
PunditFact, "Fox Business reporter: 95% of Planned Parenthood's 'pregnancy services' were abortions," Aug. 4, 2015
PolitiFact, "97% of Planned Parenthood's work is mammograms, preventive care, O'Malley says," Aug. 3, 2015
Associated Press, "Scientists have long used human fetal tissue for research; stem cells haven't replaced it yet," July 29, 2015
Phone and email interviews with Catherine Lozada, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, July 30, 2015
Phone interview with Prue Talbot, director, Stem Cell Research Center at the University of California, Riverside, July 30, 2015
Email interview with Liz Clark, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, July 26, 2015
Email interview with Damien Filer, Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood Affiliates spokesman, July 29-30, 2015
Email interview with Arthur Caplan, director of the Division of Medical Ethics at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, July 30, 2015
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