Missouri Planned Parenthood was nearly shuttered today with conflicting stories on why the State Department of Health denied the license. The clinic was saved by another court injunction after State officials ordered it closed. Missouri now mandates not one, but two pelvic exams for the patient needing an abortion. Physicians have insisted the second one is redundant, fufilling no medical need.
Missouri Department of Health cites its reason for refusing Planned Parenthood’s license:
“State health officials said they did not renew the clinic’s license to perform abortions because they were unable to interview several physicians who were involved in what they said were multiple life-threatening abortions at the clinic.”
Yet, last night Rachel Maddow and CBS News (she credits it) reported that physicians at the clinic were going to defy the order after three weeks of trying to comply. Any coincidence? Notice how health officials made sure to get the phrase “life-threatening” into their statement? Nothing about doctors standing up for their patients rights by refusing to sexual assaulting them.
A pelvic exam with no medical need is called “rape” in any other context. Life-saving rape? Only the State of Todd Akin could twist medicine so badly.
Friday, Jun 21, 2019 · 6:27:47 PM +00:00 · stlmoz
Update: Reuters altered the story AND the headline. Originally it did say Planned Parenthood of St. Louis was closed. And I was outraged. But they corrected everything to what it currently reads. PPSTL is operating under stay of execution at this point.
That’ll teach me to rush.
Saturday, Jun 22, 2019 · 12:58:24 AM +00:00
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stlmoz
UPDATE: This story has changed greatly since I first reported it. Not only did Reuters update their story and headline, but I remembered I had seen Rachel Maddow’s interview one of the doctors the night before, and I had referred to a background that wasn’t in the Reuters story, and let it influence me. A real mess and I hope I’ve fixed it.
I was going to keep everything I cut out of the original post, but that was just about the whole story I’d have to strike through. I’m a good writer, but not too good of a reporter. I beg the readers’ pardon and patience.