Planned Parenthood’s new president Dr. Leana Wen recently made it clear that abortion is the organization’s main priority.
Wen recently did an interview with BuzzFeed News where she said she wanted to focus on non-abortion health care options within Planned Parenthood, but when the article can out, she made it clear that abortion is the organization’s “core mission.”
In the interview with BuzzFeed News, Wen said, “The last thing I would want is people to get the impression that we are backing off of our core services.” She continued, “What we will always be here to do is provide abortion access as part of the full spectrum of reproductive health care, it’s who we are.”
“But we also recognize that for so many of our patients we are their only source of health care,” she added.
While her point was made within the body of the article, Wen took issue with its title – “Planned Parenthood President Wants To Focus On Nonabortion Health Care.” The doctor responded to the article’s title on Twitter writing, “I am always happy to do interviews, but these headlines completely misconstrue my vision for Planned Parenthood.”
I am always happy to do interviews, but these headlines completely misconstrue my vision for Planned Parenthood. https://t.co/Bt06dpUoqZ
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) January 8, 2019
She continued, “First, our core mission is providing, protecting and expanding access to abortion and reproductive health care. We will never back down from that fight - it’s a fundamental human right and women’s lives are at stake.”
First, our core mission is providing, protecting and expanding access to abortion and reproductive health care. We will never back down from that fight - it’s a fundamental human right and women’s lives are at stake.
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) January 8, 2019
“And it in no way means we are backing down from fighting for abortion access or from the important political work our advocacy organizations do,” she added.
That’s exciting. And it in no way means we are backing down from fighting for abortion access or from the important political work our advocacy organizations do.
— Leana Wen, M.D. (@DrLeanaWen) January 8, 2019
CBN News reports that Planned Parenthood claims abortions only encompass three percent of its services, a fact that has been widely disputed including by sources such as the Washington Post.
According to the Planned Parenthood Annual Report from 2016-2017, the organization performed 321,384 abortions that year.
Photo courtesy: Getty Images/Scott Olson/Staff
