The controversy stemming from heavily edited videos of Planned Parenthood personnel discussing fetal tissue is continuing. The organization proved that it was not selling fetal tissue and was only accepting reimbursement for the costs of handling the tissue samples, the criticism has been ongoing. Planned Parenthood has announced that it will no longer accept reimbursement for providing the tissue samples, which are used for medical research.
In the letter to the National Institutes of Health that announced the move, the organization's president, Cecile Richards, said, "Planned Parenthood's policies on fetal tissue donation already exceed the legal requirements. Now we're going even further in order to take away any basis for attacking Planned Parenthood to advance an anti-abortion political agenda."
The issue arose in July when an anti-abortion group, the Center for Medical Progress, acting under cover, released a series of videos that appeared to show that Planned Parenthood officials were selling tissue samples obtained from aborted fetuses. The videos led to Congressional inquiries and a demand by conservatives in Congress to stop all federal funding of Planned Parenthood.
Fetal tissue is used in many areas of medical research, including development of vaccines and finding treatments for spinal cord injuries and degenerative eye conditions. The National Institutes of Health spent $76 million in 2014 on research that uses fetal tissue.
The federal government prevents the sale of fetal tissue, but allows providers to accept reimbursement for the costs of handling the tissues. In other words, there is no profit from the transaction. Donation of fetal tissue can only be done with the permission of the woman having the abortion.
The decision not to accept reimbursement will not have a large effect on Planned Parenthood's activities. Only two Planned Parenthood centers, out of nearly 700 nationwide, supply fetal tissue for medical research. Only one, a center in California, accepted reimbursement for the samples. Both centers will continue to supply tissue samples.
Although Congressional investigations are still underway, no evidence of wrongdoing on the part of Planned Parenthood has been found.