2nd undercover video targets Planned Parenthood on fetal parts sales

NEW YORK – Anti-abortion activists on Tuesday released a second undercover video aimed at discrediting Planned Parenthood’s procedures for providing fetal tissue to researchers.

The video shows a woman identified as Dr. Mary Gatter, a Planned Parenthood medical director in California, meeting with people posing as potential buyers of intact fetal specimens. Much of the conversation on the video deals with how much money the buyers should pay.

Federal law prohibits the commercial sale of fetal tissue, but allows not-for-profit donation of tissue if the women who underwent abortions give their consent. Planned Parenthood contends that the payments discussed in the new video, and a similar one released last week, pertain to reimbursement for the costs of procuring the tissue – which is legal.

The woman identified as Gatter says in the video, “We’re not in it for the money,” while also discussing whether a payment of $100 per specimen would be adequate.

In another portion of the video, she appears to suggest that abortion procedures could be modified in some cases to get more intact fetuses. Under federal law, there should be no alteration in the timing or method of an abortion done solely for the purpose of obtaining fetal tissue.

In a statement, Planned Parenthood said it had not been able verify the authenticity of the video, and declined to discuss it in detail.

“What we see on this tape is a woman who says ‘We’re not in it for the money,’ and that any money must be related to reimbursement for costs,” said Planned Parenthood spokesman Eric Ferrero. “It’s important to know that the source of these videos is a group of extremists who have intimidated women and doctors for years in their agenda to ban abortion completely.”

Following release of the first video on July 14, three congressional committees and top officials in several states said they would launch investigations of Planned Parenthood’s handling of fetal tissue. Anti-abortion groups have expressed hope that Congress might cut off federal funding that goes to Planned Parenthood for family planning and other non-abortion services.

Planned Parenthood has staunchly defended its role in procuring fetal tissue for researchers, saying it is important work that could help develop treatments for diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.