South Carolina Suspends Facility Licenses at Planned Parenthood, One Other Abortion Shop after Serious Violations Found [14 Sept 2015]
When the Center for Medical Progress began releasing undercover videos that showed Planned Parenthood was illegally profiting from the sale of aborted baby remains, South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley requested an investigation into her states three remaining abortion facilities.
What was found during unannounced inspections was so shocking that Health Regulators on Friday suspended the facility licenses of two, and ordered a third to make corrections.
The worst offender? Planned Parenthood.
Inspectors discovered 21 violations at the Planned Parenthood abortion site in Columbia and fined it $7,500.
Some staff lacked required training in CPR, infection control, and fire safety and other important areas.
Planned Parenthood was also found in violation of the Women’s Right to Know Act conducting abortions within less than an hour after an ultrasound had been performed. It also failed to note the name of the father on abortion charts related to minor girls, as required, as omission that would hamper law enforcement should they require the information for a criminal investigation into child sex abuse.
But in light of the CMP video revelations that aborted babies at some Planned Parenthood facilities were being sold to biologics companies, the inspectors were particularly interested in what happened to the aborted baby remains, which the law requires be incinerated or buried.
While no body parts were sold out of the Columbia Planned Parenthood, they did find something else that was disturbing and illegal: The abortion remains were being steam treated and dumped in landfills.
This was also the practice at the Greenville Woman’s Clinic. In all, the Greenville Women’s Clinic was cited for six deficiencies, including violations of the Women’s Right to Know Act. It was fined $2,750 in addition to the license suspension.
The facilities have until September 28 to come into compliance or face closure. The findings are also being referred to law enforcement for possible criminal charges.
“This is completely unacceptable,” Gov. Haley said in a written statement. “I fully support DHEC’s actions, including its referral of the matter to SLED. South Carolina is a compassionate state, and we are a state of laws. We will not tolerate law breaking of any kind, particularly as it relates to the callous treatment of human life.”
Of course, Planned Parenthood objected and complained that they passed their last inspection with no deficiencies. However, most inspections are usually announced, and inspectors may not necessarily check every aspect of a licensee’s business during each inspection.
“This just goes to show the benefit of unannounced inspections,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “If clinics know inspectors are coming, they can clean up their act for the day, but when inspectors are gone, its back to cutting corners on women’s health and playing fast and loose with the law. It obviously is in the best interests of women to shut down abortion facilities that are violating the law and endangering their lives, and that can’t come soon enough.”
Over a dozen other states have also launched investigations into Planned Parenthood’s practices.
Three Congressional subcommittees are also investigating the abortion giant.
The House Judiciary Committee heard testimony last week and the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee has scheduled a hearing on Planned Parenthood’s alleged illegal conduct on Thursday, September 17 at 3:00 pm (EDT).
RELATED:
Inspections Catch South Carolina Planned Parenthood Abortion Business Breaking State Law
http://www.lifenews.com/2015/09/11/inspections-catch-south-carolina-planned-parenthood-abortion-clinic-breaking-state-law/
[September 14, 2015, http://www.operationrescue.org/archives/south-carolina-suspends-facility-licenses-at-planned-parenthood-one-other-abortion-clinic-after-serious-violations-found/ ]
[original article posted]
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control has suspended the Columbia Planned Parenthood and Greenville Women’s Clinic for medical violations.
At Planned Parenthood, health inspectors found 21 violations, including expired medications, incomplete records, and improper disposal of infectious waste.
All three of South Carolina’s abortion facilities have violated state law – and Gov. Nikki Haley has issued an order that could close two of them in just over two weeks. And their managers and employees may face criminal charges.
Gov. Nikki Haley announced late Friday afternoon that she had issued Administrative Order of Suspensions against Planned Parenthood of South Atlantic in Columbia and Greenville Women’s Clinic in Greenville and assessed more than $10,000 in fines so far.
The state’s Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) found 27 violations in those two offices – 21 at Planned Parenthood alone.
Planned Parenthood was found to have violated the Woman’s Right to Know Act five times, failed to prove that its staff was properly trained, kept expired medication on the premises, wrongly disposed of infectious material, and failed to report abortions to the state in a timely manner.
Greenville violated many of the same statutes by failing to comply with the Woman’s Right to Know Act, keeping incomplete records, and improperly disposing of infectious waste.
All three abortion facilities in the state were found to have violated state law in the way it disposed of aborted fetuses. State law requires that aborted babies must be buried or cremated.
But inspectors found that the babies were blasted with steam for sterilization purposes then thrown away in the local landfill.
Planned Parenthood’s Columbia location must pay a $7,000 fine, and Greenville must pay $2,750.
The third facility, Women’s Medical Center in Charleston, was found to have had record keeping issues. It must submit a plan to correct reporting errors within 15 days.
Gov. Nikki Haley said the Center for Medical Progress’ undercover “videos showing Planned Parenthood employees’ horrifying disregard for human life” had “prompted” her to demand the investigation on August 18.
Investigations that took place between August 31 and September 4 “concluded that all three abortion clinics in the state are in fact in violation of South Carolina laws or regulations.”
“This is completely unacceptable,” she said.
Even then, the abortion facilities may face criminal charges. Haley say the state attorney general’s office, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) are working in tandem “to review the findings and to determine if criminal action is warranted.”
Despite the license suspensions, the facilities may continue operating until September 28, during which time they must show staff is properly trained and present a plan for addressing the rest of the issues.
DHEC Director Catherine Heigel said, “We will work together with each of these facilities to help get them into compliance as quickly as possible.”
Planned Parenthood South Atlantic released a statement Friday saying that it was “shocked” to learn of DHEC’s decision.
“We are deeply concerned that this investigation is politically motivated and that this political interference could prevent some women from getting high-quality care,” said Jenny Black, the group’s CEO.
“The health and safety of our patients and the compassionate care that we have provided to thousands of women, men and young people in South Carolina for over 50 years is our top priority,” she added. “Our health center was inspected less than a year ago and was found to have 100 percent compliance with all state regulations.”
Two companies that transport aborted babies’ bodies – Stericycle and MedSharps – must also discuss allegations of impropriety with officials within the next 15 days. The companies could face fines as a result of their role in illegally putting babies into landfills.
[CHARLESTON, SC, September 11, 2015, https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/gov.-nikki-haley-suspends-licenses-of-two-of-south-carolinas-three-abortion ]