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In an effort to move beyond recent controversy, Planned Parenthood announced Tuesday that it will no longer accept reimbursement for any fetal tissue it provides to medical researchers.


The organization has been the subject of negative attention in recent weeks following the release of highly edited, 

 recorded by an anti-abortion group alleging that Planned Parenthood illegally profits from its fetal tissue donation program.



NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports that "Planned Parenthood points out that reimbursements are legal but says it wants to debunk accusations that it's just out to profit. Officials also say they won't stop providing fetal tissue to researchers when women request [it]. They say such research can lead to life-saving treatments."

In a letter sent to the National Institutes of Health, Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards said the recent accusations against her group are "categorically false" and that the goal of the organization's critics has "nothing to do with our fetal tissue donation compliance process."

Jennifer reports that only three affiliates with Planned Parenthood provide fetal or placental tissue:

Laguens tells Jennifer that the change to Planned Parenthood's reimbursement policy will undercut further attacks from critics. "It pulls the rug out from under these false attacks and shows beyond a shadow of a doubt what the attention and support of Planned Parenthood is for women who want to make these important donations to life-saving research," Laguens said.


Late last month, Planned Parenthood was the subject of a House Oversight and Government Reform hearing. 

, the hearing lasted for five hours, with some of the most contentious line of questioning coming from Republicans who questioned whether the organization should continue to receive federal funding.  Copyright 2019 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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Brakkton Booker

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President Cecile Richards said accusations that the women's health group illegally profits from tissue provided to researchers has "nothing to do with our fetal tissue donation compliance process."

Planned Parenthood will no longer accept reimbursement for fetal tissue

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