DeWine: Planned Parenthood violates disposal ordinances

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Following an investigation from the Ohio Attorney General’s office, state Planned Parenthood affiliates were cleared of selling fetal tissue, as previously alleged.

However, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine’s office has found state outlets of the national health organization are incorrectly disposing fetuses.

Through the Attorney General’s investigation of Planned Parenthood, officials found that aborted fetuses from Ohio affiliate offices are disposed of in landfills by third party waste management corporations.

“Disposing of aborted fetuses from an abortion by sending them to a landfill is callous and completely inhumane,” said Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine in a press release. “It is important the public be aware that these practices are taking place at these Ohio facilities.”

Stephanie Kight, president and chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio issued a statement Friday saying DeWine’s findings are inflamatory and baseless accusations.

“As we have always maintained, and as the Attorney General has now confirmed, the original accusations that Planned Parenthood ‘sold fetal tissue’ were completely unfounded and untrue,” she said. “These new allegations by the Attorney General that we are improperly disposing of fetal tissue are flat-out false. Planned Parenthood handles medical tissue like any other quality health care provider. Our agreements with vendors all require them to follow state law, and dispose of tissue accordingly. If they are not, then I will take swift action.”

Earlier this year, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine directed his Charitable Law Section to investigate whether Planned Parenthood offices in Bedford Heights, Cincinnati, and Columbus were violating Ohio law by selling fetal tissue, or abortion trafficking, in violation of Ohio Revised Code 2919.14.

The Charitable Law Section requested documents and financial records from Planned Parenthood organizations as well as companies they contracted with. The investigation did not find that fetal tissue was sold by Planned Parenthood affiliates in Ohio.

But the investigation showed that the disposal methods documented by the Planned Parenthood affiliates violate Ohio Administrative Code 3701-47-05, adopted in 1975, which requires that a “fetus shall be disposed of in a humane manner.”

According to DeWine’s office, “All three Ohio Planned Parenthood affiliates have sent fetal remains to companies which disposed of the fetuses in landfills. Additionally, the Planned Parenthood facility in Bedford Heights stated it uses only one company for disposal. However, that company stated to investigators it does not accept fetal remains for disposal as a corporate policy.”

DeWine referred his investigative findings to the Ohio Department of Health for further action.

“This is an administration that has done everything possible to eliminate access to abortion in Ohio —- secretly writing laws, working to close health centers, and even appointing the head of Ohio Right to Life to the state medical board,” Knight said. “We are seriously concerned that this report is not the result of meaningful investigation, but instead yet another attack on women’s access to health care in the state of Ohio intended to end our ability to continue to provide safe, legal abortion.”

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By Zach Jones and Brandon Klein

Civitas Media

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