Abortion pill controversy in Lafayette by Chris Morisse Vizza, Lafayette Journal And Courier
Lafayette is suddenly at the center of the state battle over abortion.
At the heart of this latest fight is a war of words over dispensation of the RU-486 abortion pill at the Lafayette office of Planned Parenthood of Indiana.
Right-to-life supporters claim that pregnancies terminated by the medication known as Mifepristone are abortions, and the Lafayette facility is not licensed by the state or regulated to perform abortions.
Planned Parenthood of Indiana administrators maintain that all of its facilities comply with state laws.
“The Lafayette facility is not licensed as a medical facility or regulated to perform abortions as required by Indiana law,” said Sue Swayze, Indiana Right to Life legislative director.
“Why isn’t it even registered or inspected by the state of Indiana?” asked Cera McCarragher, of Purdue Students for Life. “Why was it never licensed or inspected?”
“The Lafayette facility is not licensed because we are not performing surgical procedures there,” said Betty Cockrum, Planned Parenthood of Indiana president and CEO. “State law is very clear.”
Three Planned Parenthood facilities that provide surgical abortions are licensed and inspected by the Indiana Department of Health, according to Cockrum.
“Lafayette is the exception because medication abortions are performed there,” Cockrum said. “We take compliance with the law very, very seriously.”
“Planned Parenthood considers them abortions,” said Swayze during a news conference Monday morning on a sidewalk near the Lafayette office on Mezzanine Drive. “If this dangerous practice is going on in an unlicensed facility, women and the community need to know.”
Swayze said Right to Life was surprised to find that Planned Parenthood reported to state regulators that 114 abortions were performed in Lafayette in 2010 and 2011.
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