Abortion Practitioner Told by Maryland Authorities to Stop Doing Abortions

State   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Aug 31, 2010   |   9:00AM   |   WASHINGTON, DC

Abortion Practitioner Told by Maryland Authorities to Stop Doing Abortions

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
August 31
, 2010

Annapolis, MD (LifeNews.com) — Maryland officials have told embattled abortion practitioner Steven Chase Brigham to stop doing abortions in the state. The move comes after Pennsylvania officials told him to close his abortion businesses there after he was found to be employing unlicensed staffers and putting women’s health at risk.

Brigham has been issued a cease and desist order by the Maryland State Board of Physicians ordering him to stop the illegal practice of medicine, including abortions, at five locations throughout Maryland.

Officials say Brigham does not and never has been licensed in that state.

The order, dated August 25, 2010, indicates that Brigham has been practicing illegally in Maryland since January, 2010.

It referred to an incident that occurred on August 13, 2010, where Brigham had begun a surgical procedure reportedly thought to be an abortion. However, something went wrong and Brigham instructed the woman to travel to his abortion center in Elkton to complete the alleged abortion "on an urgent basis."

"The health of Maryland patients is being endangered by the Respondent’s unlicensed practice of medicine in this State," the order read, according to the pro-life group Operation Rescue, which provided LifeNews.com with the information.

Brigham runs abortion facilities under the name American Women’s Services in Baltimore, Cheverly, Fredrick, College Park, and Elkton and OR indicates all currently remain open with other abortion practitioners doing abortions there. He also operates abortion businesses under the same name in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

"The only thing that will stop Brigham from committing illegal abortions that endanger the lives of women is to toss him in jail for a long time," said Operation Rescue staffer Cheryl Sullenger.

"Traditional means of discipline simply don’t work with this guy. He has found that he can get away with just about anything without much more than a slap on the wrist," she complained. "The only way to protect women from Brigham’s predatory and unsafe abortion business is to criminally charge him and order all his mills closed."

To that end, Sullenger said Operation Rescue plans to file a complaint before the end of the week demanding criminal charges.

In Pennsylvania, in July, the Pennsylvania Department of Health ordered Brigham to shut down four of his abortion centers for reportedly employing medical staff who were not properly licensed with the state — and potentially putting women’s health at risk.

Brigham also has had problems with the IRS, where officials have filed a lien on him for failing to pay payroll taxes from 2002 to 2006 for the employees of his American Women’s Services abortion centers in Pennsylvania and the six he runs in New Jersey.

Brigham was forced to give up his license to practice medicine in Pennsylvania some years ago because of botched abortions. Brigham has also lost his license in other states. He had medical licenses revoked in New York and Florida, and received disciplinary action in California and New Jersey. He served 120 days in jail in 1998 for Medicaid fraud.

He was also taken to task for employing Harvey Walter Brookman, who did abortions at a State College abortion facility known as State College Medical Services and at the Erie abortion center known as American Women’s Services under Brigham’s employ.

Brookman, was only permitted to treat himself and his family because he holds what is called an "active-retired" medical license in Pennsylvania.

Brookman has also had trouble maintaining a valid medical license in other states.
His New York license was revoked in December of 1996. His New Jersey license was temporarily suspended in December of 1994. In February of 1996, Brookman "voluntarily surrendered his New Jersey license to practice medicine and surgery with a prejudice to his right to apply for reinstatement."

The Pennsylvania state health department took its latest action on July 7, according to the newspaper, when Deputy Secretary of Health Robert Torres permanently banned Brigham and any corporation he owns or runs from doing abortions in the state.

That could allow for a significant reduction of abortions in Pennsylvania as American Women’s Services does about 3,600 abortions annually at its centers in Pittsburgh, Allentown, Erie, and State College.

Related web sites:
Maryland cease and desist order –
https://operationrescue.org/pdfs/MDcease&desist-Brigham082510.pdf

 

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