Planned Parenthood Caught Selling Baby Body Parts

An investigative video released by the Center for Medical Progress shows Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Senior Director of Medical Services, Dr. Deborah Nucatola, describing how Planned Parenthood sells the body parts of aborted fetuses, and admitting she uses partial-birth abortions to supply intact body parts.

In the video, Nucatola is at a business lunch with actors posing as buyers from a human biologics company. As head of PPFA’s Medical Services department, Nucatola has overseen medical practice at all Planned Parenthood locations since 2009. She also trains new Planned Parenthood abortion doctors and performs abortions herself at Planned Parenthood Los Angeles up to 24 weeks.

The buyers ask Nucatola, “How much of a difference can that actually make, if you know kind of what’s expected, or what we need?”

“It makes a huge difference,” Nucatola replies. “I’d say a lot of people want liver. And for that reason, most providers will do this case under ultrasound guidance, so they’ll know where they’re putting their forceps. The kind of rate-limiting step of the procedure is calvarium. Calvarium—the head—is basically the biggest part.”

Nucatola explains, “We’ve been very good at getting heart, lung, liver, because we know that, so I’m not gonna crush that part, I’m gonna basically crush below, I’m gonna crush above, and I’m gonna see if I can get it all intact.”

“And with the calvarium, in general, some people will actually try to change the presentation so that it’s not vertex,” she continues. “So if you do it starting from the breech presentation, there’s dilation that happens as the case goes on, and often, the last step, you can evacuate an intact calvarium at the end.”

Center for Medical Progress notes that using an ultrasound in this way is the hallmark of the partial-birth abortion procedure which was banned in 2003.

Nucatola also reveals that Planned Parenthood’s national office is concerned about their liability for the sale of fetal parts: “At the national office, we have a Litigation and Law Department which just really doesn’t want us to be the middle people for this issue right now,” she says. “But I will tell you that behind closed doors these conversations are happening with the affiliates.”

The should be concerned as the sale or purchase of human fetal tissue is a federal felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000, the Center for Medical Progress noted in a press release.

A separate clip shows Planned Parenthood President and CEO Cecile Richards praising Nucatola’s work to facilitate connections for fetal tissue collection. “Oh good,” Richards says when told about Nucatola’s support for fetal tissue collection at Planned Parenthood, “Great. She’s amazing.”

“This film reveals the dark side of humanity as did the case of Kermit Gosnell. The moment when the destruction of a human being becomes just business as usual is a moment we must address. Planned Parenthood, America’s largest abortion provider, so devalues human life they are now in the business of harvesting body parts. They are wheeling and dealing with tiny hearts, livers, lungs, and even heads, of the children their practitioners destroy during late term abortion procedures. This is an eye-opening, stomach-churning moment. We are a better nation than this. Ending late term abortion will preclude this horror,” Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a released statement.

Carly Fiorina released the following statement on Facebook after the video was released. “I am proudly pro-life. I believe that every human life has potential and that every human life is precious. This latest news is tragic and outrageous. This isn’t about ‘choice.’ It’s about profiting on the death of the unborn while telling women it’s about empowerment.”

American Principles in Action communications director Kate Bryan called this revelation “disturbing.”

“This new disturbing revelation about Planned Parenthood —the fact that they apparently sell hearts, lungs, and even legs from aborted babies to mystery buyers —is absolutely sickening,” Bryan said.

“Hillary Clinton supports Planned Parenthood, but does she support this inhumane practice?” Bryan asked. “Does she support this ruthless exploitation of women in order to harvest baby body parts? Voters deserve an answer.”

Bryan also pointed out that Planned Parenthood is blatantly ignoring the partial-birth abortion law.

“When asked about the partial-birth abortion ban, the Planned Parenthood director said that ‘laws are up for interpretation’ and ‘what ultimately happens doesn’t matter.’ The fact that we are giving taxpayer funding to an organization that has no regard for federal law or even basic humanity is very disturbing. It might be time for Congress to reconsider funding this type of shady organization.”

“Thirty to one hundred dollars; that’s the price Planned Parenthood appears to be profiting per dead baby. The recent video of Planned Parenthood’s senior director of Medical Services is just the latest in a laundry list of scandals, including aiding and abetting sex traffickers, giving sexual bondage instructions to children, cheating the government, sex-selection abortions, blatant racism, and the failure to report the molestation and rape of minors,” Penny Nance, CEO/President of Concerned Women for America, said a released statement.

“There appears to be no depths to which this organization won’t stoop for money. When will the federal government wake up and follow the lead of the ten courageous governors who have cut funding to Planned Parenthood?” Nance asked.

Nance said it is time for Congress to defund Planned Parenthood.

“Two Republican presidential candidates have already led the way in their states: Gov. Chris Christie (NJ) and Gov. Scott Walker (WI). It’s time for Congress to say ‘Enough!’ If Planned Parenthood provides any worthy services, then they should have no problem raising funds like the thousands of other charities around this nation. Wake up America!”

During fiscal year 2013-2014, Planned Parenthood received more than $528 million in taxpayer funding, or more than $1.4 million per day, in the form of government grants, contracts, and Medicaid reimbursements. Taxpayer funding accounts for 41% of Planned Parenthood’s overall revenue.

Watch the video below:

Update:  Eric Ferraro the Vice President of Communications of Planned Parenthood Federation of America issued the following statement defending the practice calling the body parts “tissue.”

In health care, patients sometimes want to donate tissue to scientific research that can help lead to medical breakthroughs, treatments and cures for serious diseases. Women at Planned Parenthood who have abortions are no different. At several of our health centers, we help patients who want to donate tissue for scientific research, and we do this just like every other high-quality health care provider does — with full, appropriate consent from patients and under the highest ethical and legal standards. There is no financial benefit for tissue donation for either the patient or Planned Parenthood. In some instances, actual costs, such as the cost to transport tissue to leading research centers, are reimbursed, which is standard across the medical field.

A well-funded group established for the purpose of damaging Planned Parenthood’s mission and services has promoted a heavily edited, secretly recorded videotape that falsely portrays Planned Parenthood’s participation in tissue donation programs that support lifesaving scientific research. Similar false accusations have been put forth by opponents of abortion services for decades. These groups have been widely discredited and their claims fall apart on closer examination, just as they do in this case.