Court Evaluates Recent Plea for Regained Control of Appalling & Risky Planned Parenthood Covert Recordings

A shocking lawsuit was brought against the Center for Medical Progress because of their attempted exposé of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America. A covertly recorded senior physician allegedly callously discussed illegally harvesting fetal organs from abortions for research. The lawsuit has since reached over a $2 million verdict in favor of Planned Parenthood. [i]

Further, Daleiden will return to court on Aug. 9, 2022, requesting that his organization, the Center for Medical Progress, be reinstated control to over 500 videos Daleiden and others covertly recorded after posing as a false company to gain access to the National Abortion Federation’s 2014 and 2015 conferences. Daleiden created a fake company to infiltrate the conferences and “expose” Planned Parenthood for allegedly selling baby parts— and profiting from it. [xvii]

Last year, in San Francisco, a federal judge determined the overt recordings,

Violated the rules Daleidon had agreed to when he rented space at the conferences, posing as an executive of BioMax procurement services – an LLC he created as part of the ruse.“

Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Nearly Halted Amidst Alleged Illegal Sale of Baby Parts

As part of the “Human Capital Project,” David Daleiden, founder of the Center for Medical Progress, intentionally manipulated Planned Parenthood employees. Daleiden presented himself and others as a procurement company known as BioMax. BioMax was actually a fictitious company, established by David Daleiden to “create public outrage towards” and “maximum negative impact – legal, political, professional, public – against [Planned Parenthood].” [ii]

The unfolding of the undercover ambush during the National Abortion Federation conference in San Francisco sounds like a scene from a movie. Daleiden and other co-conspirators established BioMax Procurement Services, LLC (BioMax) specifically to “do large parts of undercover works.” [iii]

The Articles of Organization for the business were filed with the California Secretary of State. A false name, of who there is no such person, is listed as the signing manager, Susan Tennenbaum. Daleiden intended his plan to succeed, so he went to great lengths to ensure BioMax appeared legitimate. [iii]

Daleiden created a website for BioMax and hired co-conspirators to pose as employees. They used false identities to infiltrate conferences and health centers to film Planned Parenthood staff members and others. The ‘employees’ of BioMax had fake names, backgrounds, business cards, fraudulent California driver’s licenses, and even had advertising material drafted and bank cards issued. [iii]

Although Daleiden succeeded in using his fictitious company to infiltrate a conference and videotape conversations, no charges against Planned Parenthood were pursued due to the accusations. Even following numerous investigations, claims of stem cell treatment abroad gone awry, and rumors of stem cell limb lengthening, none of the allegations have been substantiated. [iv]

Still, Daleiden insists that video-graphic evidence supports his organization’s claims against Planned Parenthood. Several sources, however, describe the video as “broadly considered to be false, the product of aggressive and misleading editing” to support “unfounded assertions of criminal misconduct.” Many others pointed to the omitted footage intentionally edited from the publicized videos. [iv] [v]

Harvard Stem Cell Institute Among Many to Reveal Stem Cell Success Stories

Even though David Daleiden and his counterparts’ claims were unfounded, many still support his cause. The debacle garnered Daleiden so much support that the Thomas More Society stepped in to represent and defend him. [vi]

The Thomas More Society represents Daleiden pro bono in numerous state and federal court cases. The public interest law firm asserts that funding relies “wholly on the support of many faithful donors across America and beyond.” [vi]

People across the nation continue to pour in donations in support of Daleidan’s efforts to topple Planned Parenthood for its alleged crimes. The organization continues to grapple with numerous states weighing a decision to “defund” Planned Parenthood. [vii]

Although only 3% of Planned Parenthood’s services are abortions, the attempts to eradicate the organization continue. The results are described as devastating for those affected. The much-needed remaining 97% of services that are also lost at the closing of a Planned Parenthood have visible impacts. [vii]

In Texas, a research team at the University of Texas at Austin indicated that the number of births paid for by Medicaid increased by 27%. Medicaid is state and government-funded healthcare coverage for low-income individuals. Services provided by Planned Parenthood include providing access to contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies. [vii]

In the face of Planned Parenthood’s ongoing battle, researchers assert that a stem cell has potential medical uses because it is characterized as “unspecialized.” This means that it can evolve into various cells to repair damaged tissue. Many still ask, “Why are stem cells in an embryo important?” [viii]

Some researchers assert that a stem cell case study can be completed for most purposes without using embryonic stem cells. Others disagree, such as Lishan Su, a scientist who uses fetal tissue to “humanize” mice by performing stem cell transplants using hematopoietic stem cells. [ix]

These humanized mice allow Su to continue researching how hepatitis B and C lead to chronic liver disease. Su states, “Using fetal tissue is not an easy choice, but so far, there is no better choice.” [ix]

The fetal tissue used is “legally obtained, that . . . would otherwise be destroyed.” [ix]

Further than enhancing research capabilities across the United States, many types of stem cells have also proven successful across various studies implementing treatments developed using stem cell research or stem cell injections to treat chronic pain. For example, Gilead Sciences of Foster City, California, recently was informed that the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) lifted a partial clinical hold. [x]

The hold concerned myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Magrolimab Studies that Gilead Sciences was conducting as part of a clinical trial. The organization can now continue its trials for Magrolimab, which the FDA granted Breakthrough Therapy designation in 2020. [x]

The use of stem cells has led to many more advances in the healthcare industry, such as:

• Stem cell research was crucial in developing the Tenofovir intravaginal ring to protect against vaginal HIV exposure. In a clinical study, the ring was tested and demonstrated safe over 14 days against HIV. [xi]

• Harvard Stem Cell Institute research paved the way for stem cell treatment for diabetic retinopathy, vision loss, and those with Type 1 diabetes. VX-880 is a breakthrough treatment researched and developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals. VX-880 allegedly eliminates a patient with Type I diabetes’ need to self-inject insulin. The reasoning is that embryonic stem cells were used to create replacement cells to make their own insulin. [xii] [xiii]

How Abortion Laws Could Affect IVF Procedures and Stem Cell Research

Following the anniversary of July 25, 1978, the birth of the first “test tube” baby, many recall the controversy surrounding the idea of a then-experimental procedure. This new debate follows embryonic stem cell trials for macular degeneration, a preliminary report detailing stem cell research methods, and a study on induced pluripotent stem cell lines derived from human somatic cells. Patients with embryos remaining after in vitro fertilization (IVF) provide many of those for stem cell research. [xiv]

The California Institute for Regenerative Medicine reports that all human embryonic stem cell lines used by the organization are from “four to five-day-old embryos left over from IVF procedures.” If ‘personhood’ laws begin to be applied to embryos, their use or a provider’s ability to destroy them may be restricted. This could cause unnecessary burdens on women already facing a difficult time navigating and learning the IVF process. [xiv]

Many states across the nation have asserted that the recent changes to abortion laws will not affect IVF. Even still, an equal amount of people fear it, unfortunately, will. [xv]

One provider was bewildered, exclaiming, “I don’t know whether the people who wrote this law fully understood the downstream effects of it.” The potential for an embryo to be considered a person already has some people reconsidering IVF. [xv]

The overwhelming majority of those lobbying against stem cell research for back pain and similar ailments cite moral or religious reasons for their aversion to stem cell research. The difference in opinion is so widespread that Richard K. Zimmerman published an article detailing four methods to assist patients “who have ethical concerns about . . . vaccines that were developed in fetal cell lines.” [xvi]

Though no specific bible verses about stem cell research exist, several churches have discussed the issue. In 2016, the United Methodist Church weighed in on stem cell research with

The Book of Resolutions of The United Methodist Church, 2016: Ethics of Embryonic Stem Cell Research: Book of Resolutions 8006

An excerpt reads,

Given the reality that most, if not all, excess embryos will be discarded, we believe that it is morally tolerable to use existing embryos for stem cell research purposes. This position is a matter of weighing the danger of further eroding the respect due to potential life against the possible, therapeutic benefits that are hoped for from such research.”[xvii]

With many differing opinions stirring across the US, it will be eye-opening to see which way the cards fall. Facilities such as the Irvine Stem Cell Treatment Center have maintained the importance of stem cell therapy and PRP research.

Stem cells are believed to hold the key to developing major milestones relating to hand and wrist pain, degenerative disc disease, cancer cells, and shoulder pain and even potentially offer an alternative to knee replacement using stem cell therapy for knees. Across orange county even, patients are seeking out facts about stem cells to educate themselves on the potential benefits. So far, this is a high-stakes debate regarding the ethical considerations of stem cell research.

References

[i] Brendan Pierson, Abortion foes appeal $2 mln verdict over secret Planned Parenthood videos, (Apr. 21, 2022)

[ii] Planned Parenthood Fed’n of Am., Inc. v. Ctr. for Med. Progress, No. 16-cv-00236-WHO, 2020 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 76374 (N.D. Cal. Apr. 29, 2020)

[iii] Id.

[iv] Molly Redden, Charges dismissed in indictments over Planned Parenthood sting videos, (Jul. 26, 2016)

[v] Carolyn B. Maloney of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, Planned Parenthood Fact v. Fiction, (2022)

[vi] Thomas More Society, David Daleiden, (2022)

[vii] Planned Parenthood, The Impact of Defunding Planned Parenthood and How You Can Help, (2022)

[viii] MedlinePlus, Stem Cells, (2022)

[ix] Meredith Wadman, Nature magazine, The Truth about Fetal Tissue Research, (Dec. 9, 2015)

[x] Gilead Press Release, FDA Lifts Partial Clinical Hold on MDS and AML Magrolimab Studies, (Apr. 11, 2022)

[xi] Keller MJ, Wood L, Billingsley JM, et al. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate intravaginal ring for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in sexually active women: a phase 1, single-blind, randomised, controlled trial. Lancet HIV. 2019;6(8):e498-e508. doi:10.1016/S2352-3018(19)30145-6

[xii] Vertrex Press Release, Vertrex Presents New Data from VX-880 Phase 1/2 Clinical Trial at the American Diabetes Association 82nd Scientific Sessions, (Jun. 6, 2022)

[xiii] Harvard Stem Cell Institute, A new therapy for treating Type 1 diabetes, (Oct. 20, 2021)

[xiv] California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Myths and Misconceptions About Stem Cell Research, (2022)

[xv] Aria Bendix, States say abortion bans don’t affect IVF. Providers and lawyers are worried anyway. (Jun. 29, 2022)

[xvi] Zimmerman RK. Helping patients with ethical concerns about COVID-19 vaccines in light of fetal cell lines used in some COVID-19 vaccines. Vaccine. 2021;39(31):4242-4244. doi:10.1016/j.vaccine.2021.06.027

[xvii] Barbara Grzincic, Aboortion foe David Daleidon seeks right to share covert recordings, (Aug. 6, 2022)