Iowa authorities have launched an investigation into a "scheme" by Planned Parenthood, the nation's abortion industry leader, to "peddle abortions" by setting up computer-link visits for patients instead of allowing them to meet with the doctor ordering the abortion chemicals for them.
Operation Rescue, a front-line pro-life organization that at one point purchased a building so that an abortionist tenant could not continue work, said it has been notified by Iowa authorities about the investigation.
Operation Rescue Senior Policy Adviser Cheryl Sullenger had filed a complaint over the procedure, prompting the Iowa Medical Board's confirmation that it is looking into the "care and treatment" practices of abortionist Susan Haskell.
The complaint had raised several concerns, including the fact that Iowa law allows only a licensed physician to do abortions, the Planned Parenthood of the Heartland procedure fell short of FDA-approved protocols for doctor's visits, no physician was present for the administration of abortion drugs and insurance companies apparently were overbilled.
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Operation Rescue President Troy Newman said the complaint was filed to protect women "from this outrageous and dangerous abortion scheme."
WND reported when the new "telemedicine" practice came under scrutiny from Operation Rescue.
The organization documented in a recording Planned Parenthood's explanation of its set-up.
"The physician doesn't actually come," the abortion company worker explains. "The physician who prescribes you the medication would be on a computer screen. You'll be on a computer screen. You can see each other and communicate. They're just not physically there.
"You would press a button that's on the screen, and a little box would open up with the medication in it."
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"The telemed abortion presents risks to women's lives and health that are completely unacceptable," said Newman. "The lack of access to a licensed physician throughout this risky and painful abortion process is shocking and likely illegal. Money obviously means more to Planned Parenthood than the lives and safety of women."
Sullenger's report on the issue explained the "telemedicine" procedures are "used legitimately in the medical field to lower the cost of consultations with specialists and exchange medical information between physicians electronically."
"However, telemedicine, or care in absentia, was never meant as a replacement for the personal, hands-on examination by a physician," she said.
Operation Rescue discovered a dozen small Planned Parenthood offices around Iowa were handing out the dangerous abortion drug RU 486 (Mifepristone) and companion drug Methotrexate even though the patients never had been examined personally by a physician.
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"We believe that this practice is illegal and violates Iowa law that requires that a licensed physician perform abortions in that state, and increases the serious dangers to the public," Newman said.
Newman's organization also found Planned Parenthood deviates from FDA protocols for the dosage and number of office visits, and insurance companies are billed $1,000 for the process – twice what cash patients must pay.
"Planned Parenthood has come up with a dangerous scheme to peddle abortion pills to women without the cost of transporting a licensed physician to each clinic. Without enough abortionists to staff all of their clinics, this 'telemed' scheme is the goose that laid the golden egg for them. Never mind that it is a serious danger to women and to the economics of this country, especially if it expands nationally," said Newman.
"We pray that the Iowa Board of Medicine will bring this outrageous abortion abuse to an end," he said.
Operation Rescue cited the eight abortion deaths and more than 1,100 serious complications that have resulted in the U.S. alone from the use of Mifepristone.
Planned Parenthood did not respond to a WND request for comment.