Activists Release Second Video Slamming Planned Parenthood Fetal Tissue Donations
The group that accused Planned Parenthood of illegally selling fetal tissue for medical research released a second secretly taped video on Tuesday, claiming to show a doctor from the national reproductive health nonprofit discussing the issue. The edited eight-minute video, released by anti-abortion activists at the Center for Medical Progress, shows two unseen people posing as representatives of a fetal tissue procurement company and speaking with Dr. Mary Gatter, a member of Planned Parenthood's Medical Directors' Council. The video, reportedly shot on Feb. 6 of this year, appears to show Gatter and the representatives discussing the price of fetal tissue. Planned Parenthood has acknowledged donating fetal tissue to researchers following abortions but has denied receiving any payments beyond reimbursement for its costs, which is legal. The Center for Medical Progress alleges that the video the group released Tuesday shows Gatter "haggling" over the price of the fetal tissue. "The money is not the important thing for me," Gatter said in the video, according to the Center for Medical Progress. "But it has to be big enough that it makes it worthwhile for me.", Planned Parenthood released a statement condemning the video as "highly edited" and calling the activists who filmed it "widely discredited.", "What the video released today shows is a Planned Parenthood medical provider, who has dedicated her career to ensuring that women have access to the best health care, stating over and over again that she follows all laws and medical standards," Eric Ferrero, vice president of communications for Planned Parenthood of America, said in a statement. "The video was heavily edited in attempt to support false and outrageous claims, but the fact remains that there is nothing in these videos to suggest any violation of law or improper activity.", Tuesday's video follows an initial one released by the Center for Medical Progress on July 14, which drew widespread attention to Planned Parenthood's longtime practice of donating fetal tissue to scientists for research. Republican presidential contenders called for an investigation into Planned Parenthood's practices, but many in the medical community say fetal tissue research is both legal and important.