Contact senators to end dangerous Planned Parenthood webcam abortions

 It was encouraging to hear recently an overwhelming majority of Iowans support the ban on webcam/telemedicine abortions in the State of Iowa. In addition to the huge number of petitions submitted to the Iowa Board of Medicine last year, the results of a University of Iowa poll showing 66.3 percent of Iowans support the ban, and now another major poll coming out of the Des Moines Register March 10  showing 66 percent of Iowans support the ban; it’s clear it’s time for the State Senate to act.

The Iowa House passed a ban on webcam abortion with broad, bipartisan support earlier this legislative session. This issue is now in the Senate’s hands and they are responsible for whether Iowans are heard on this issue. 

Here’s the question: Why won’t the Senate listen and respond to the people’s desire to end this practice in our State? All of us, whether “pro-life” or “pro-choice” should care about the lives of those who visit Planned Parenthood centers offering telemed abortions. There are no doctors at these ‘remote’ centers, no direct follow-up care, no support in case of an emergency or complications from the dispensed medicine.  

People have died as a result of using these medications – that’s a fact. No matter what individual views people hold, this is a dangerous and unsafe practice. Iowa should not be the state “leading the way” in this type of dangerous and irresponsible use of telemedicine.   

I’ll be contacting my Senator and I urge everyone who shares my concern for the safety of Iowa’s women and the future of legitimate telemedicine to do the same. It’s never too late for the Senate to act until the last seconds of the legislative session. Iowans have spoken clearly. Will the Senate act?

Alan Dean is a Red Oak resident and the pastor at First Covenant Church.