By Sarah Ferris – 09/02/15 06:00 AM EDT
One month ago, six Planned Parenthood clinics allowed women to donate aborted fetus tissue for medical research. Now, there are just two that do — a sign that the future of the programs could be in serious jeopardy.
Planned Parenthood has fiercely defended its fetal tissue donations in the face of attacks from an anti-abortion rights organization this summer. But the steady stream of undercover videos of the organization’s operations is taking a toll on its affiliates and partners.
The fallout from the videos was detailed for the first time last Friday in an 11-page letter sent to congressional leadership by Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards.
Three affiliates in California have stopped accepting fetal tissue donations because of controversy surrounding the videos, including one provider that received “security threats,” Richards said. Another affiliate has postponed its program while undergoing renovations, she said.
A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood declined to comment on when, if ever, the tissue programs might resume. She also declined to give the names of the providers and the partners that have suspended the programs, citing safety concerns.
