The national battle over women’s reproductive rights continues with more experts in the medical fields speaking out.
One of 2015’s most intense debates emerged during the summer after a radical right-wing anti-choice organization called Center for Medical Progress (CMP) released a series of undercover videos intended to slander and shutdown Planned Parenthood, a leading healthcare organization for women and men. The videos were misleading and gave the impression that Planned Parenthood was secretly and illegally selling “aborted baby parts” to businesses—for profit. The falsified angle and phrasing CMP took in the videos naturally created an public outrage. Once again, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards was put on the defensive, and had to appear at a congressional hearing where she was subjected to bullying and countless interruptions by pompous anti-choice lawmakers trying to make names for themselves in the Republican Party. And once again, time, energy, and tax money were pissed away and the GOP hypocrite camp came up with nothing. NOTHING. The videos were proven to be misleading and the allegations of illegalities taking place proved to be false.
During the summer, several doctors from New England Journal of Medicine came forward to state the importance of fetal tissue research as well as the importance of Planned Parenthood. Of course, the information fell upon the deaf ears of anti-choice lawmakers and religious extremists who seem to hold little regard for anything with the word “science” included in it. Recently more experts in the medical worlds have come forward to discuss the benefits of fetal tissue/cell research. In an NPR article, a biologist in cellular and molecular medicine at the University of California, San Diego, Larry Goldstein, also insists fetal tissue research is invaluable. Goldstein uses the research for his work towards finding a cure for Alzheimers disease and helping paralyzed people to walk.
"The fetal cells are vital at this time because, to our knowledge, they have the best properties for the kinds of experiments that we need to do," Goldstein says.
Another expert, Carrie Wolinetz, the director for science policy with the National Institutes of Health, states:
“The cells have long been used to make some vaccines. And these days scientists are also using the cells to try to cure AIDS, fight blindness, prevent miscarriages and birth defects, and to find new ways to treat diabetes, cancer, Parkinson's disease and other disorders.
"Fetal tissue is used to study early brain development, which has great relevance to our understanding of the development of diseases such as autism and schizophrenia," Wolinetz adds.
Unlike the Center for Medical Progress, (shouldn’t it be Center For Medical Regression?) fetal tissue/cell research has been taking place for decades and is used for true medical advancement. Yet right-wing media/organizations are using the same scientific research against Planned Parenthood, an organization that helps millions of women and men with many services that include cancer screenings, STD testing, family planning, counseling... The anti-choice fanatics zero in on abortion, though the procedure is a very small part of Planned Parenthood’s services, and no federal funds go towards abortion services.
In the fairness of giving voice to both sides, there are critics in the medical field who are against the use of fetal tissue.
"We believe it is neither necessary for the advancement of science and the discovery of new cures, nor is it ethical," says Kathleen Schmainda. She's a professor of radiology and biophysics at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
"This practice of basically linking up science with the abortion industry corrupts what we do," she says. "And, I would argue, it corrupts the science and the discovery that can take place."
Thankfully, more in the field seem to disagree with Schmaninda and opt for more research. And her term “abortion industry” is cringeworthy—as if there are places where abortions are being cranked out like a factory line or as if women actually enjoy having medical procedures. And do these right-wing anti-choice protagonists think if fetal tissue and fetal cells were no longer used for scientific and medical research, abortions would suddenly end? Abortions will never end, no matter how many restrictions are placed upon women. The question is whether women will be able to obtain abortions in a safe setting or a deadly setting.
We are supposed to be an advanced country. Women and men fought and died to protect the reproductive choice of our citizens. This battle isn’t about abortion, it’s about control, and American women will not go back to back alley butchery, nor will we allow ourselves to be controlled by right-wing, mostly male, political and religious zealots. Though some battles are lost, be assured, we will continue to win this war.
If you've ever considered supporting Planned Parenthood, there’s no better time than now to get involved and/or contribute. To make a secured online Planned Parenthood donation click here. You can also call 800-798-7092, or mail donations to: Planned Parenthood Federation of America PO Box 97166 Washington DC 20077-7543