Abortion opponents continue pressing state medical regulators to stop Planned Parenthood from using a remote-control system to provide abortion pills at small-town clinics around the state.
Charlie Burke of DeWitt asked the Iowa Board of Medicine this morning to take action on earlier requests on the issue. “I believe this has been going on far too long,” said Burke, who said the first complaint to the board was filed in August 2009.
Burke and other abortion opponents contend that Planned Parenthood of the Heartland’s system violates a state law, which says all abortions must be performed by a physician. The opponents want the board to order doctors to stop using the system.
The first-in-the-nation system allows a Planned Parenthood physician from Des Moines to visit by videoconference with patients up to 190 miles away. When the doctor is satisfied that the patient is qualified to use the medication, the doctor presses a computer button to open a drawer in front of the patient. The patient then reaches into the drawer and withdraws the abortion pills.
Planned Parenthood leaders say the system is safe and legal. They say patients receive physical exams and counseling in the remote clinics before visiting with physicians over the system. The patients take the first dose in the clinic, then take the rest at home. They are instructed to return for a follow-up appointment to check for complications.
The medical board has said it is looking into the matter. Mark Bowden, the board’s executive director, said after today’s meeting that he couldn’t comment on a pending investigation.
It isn’t unusual for board investigations to take many months. At another point in today’s meeting, Bowden noted that the agency, which is supposed to have eight investigators, was down to three earlier this year because of early retirements encouraged by a state budget-cutting program. He said the board recently hired three new investigators, which should help speed up cases. However, he didn’t specify whether the staffing issue affected the Planned Parenthood matter.
Abortion opponents have packed past meetings of the medical board, and emotions have run strong. Two armed police officers stood watch at this morning’s meeting, but Burke was one of just two anti-abortion activists who attended. “I think maybe you’ve worn us down a little bit,” Burke joked to the board.
The Des Moines Register