I was dismayed by a letter from Sen. Rand Paul that I just received which contained misleading accusations that Planned Parenthood was “selling fetal body parts from aborted children.” His claims are misleading and falsely imply that Planned Parenthood’s selling of fetal tissue is illegal or immoral.

This was addressed in the July 22 editorial by the New York Times “The Campaign of Deception Against Planned Parenthood.” Here are several excerpts of that editorial:

“A hidden-camera video released last week purported to show that Planned Parenthood illegally sells tissue from aborted fetuses. It shows nothing of the sort. But it is the latest in a series of unrelenting attacks on Planned Parenthood, which offers health-care services to millions of people every year. The politicians howling to defund Planned Parenthood care nothing about the truth here, being perfectly willing to undermine women’s reproductive rights any way they can.

The full video of the lunch meeting, over two hours long and released by the Center for Medical Progress, shows something very different from what these critics claim. Clearly, the shorter version was edited to eliminate statements by physician Deborah Nucatola explaining that Planned Parenthood does not profit from tissue donation, which requires the clear consent of the patient. Planned Parenthood affiliates only accept money — between $30 and $100 per specimen, Nucatola said — to cover costs associated with collecting and transporting the tissue. “This is not something with any revenue stream that affiliates are looking at,” she said. Under federal law, facilities may be reimbursed for costs associated with fetal tissue donation, like transportation and storage.

Cecile Richards, the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, stated, “Our donation programs — like any other high-quality health-care providers — follow all laws and ethical guidelines” and that ‘Planned Parenthood stands behind our work to help women and families donate tissue for medical research when they wish to.”

Researchers use fetal tissue to study and develop treatments for diseases and conditions such as HIV, hepatitis, congenital heart defects, retinal degeneration and Parkinson’s. Last year, the National Institutes of Health gave $76 million in grants for fetal-tissue research. Planned Parenthood is certainly not the only collector of fetal tissue — clinics associated with universities also supply tissue for research.

The Center for Medical Progress video campaign is a dishonest attempt to make legal, voluntary, and potentially lifesaving tissue donations appear nefarious and illegal. Lawmakers responding by promoting their own anti-choice agenda are rewarding deception and putting women’s health and their constitutionally protected rights at risk.”

Paul should be ashamed and held accountable for his false accusations, misleading statements, and misguided attempts to defund Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood provides essential reproductive health-care services and family planning to women throughout the United States and supports the fundamental right of each individual in the world to manage her or his fertility.

John Macatee

osteopathic physician