After pressure from the state’s largest pro-life group, the taxpayer-funded University of Toldeo has ended its contract with a local abortion clinic.
As LifeNews reported last month, Ohio Right to Life released documentation showing how the University of Toledo is financially, and in other ways, supporting a local abortion business. The documents revealed how UT supported Capitol Care Network of Toledo, one of the largest abortion clinics in Northwest Ohio. According to government documents obtained by Ohio Right to Life and released to LifeNews, the University of Toledo Medical Center entered into a contract with this abortion clinic to allow the clinic to operate and to abort children.
A transfer agreement signed by the University’s Senior Vice President and Executive Director Scott Scarborough on Aug. 17, 2012, is the reason the abortion clinic remains open, the group said.
According to the most recent data from the Ohio Department of Health, 1,033 babies were aborted at Capitol Care Network of Toledo due to the University’s support of this clinic.
Today, Ohio Right to Life informed LifeNews that the University of Toledo has terminated the transfer agreement between Capital Care Network of Toledo. In addition, the University has terminated negotiations for a transfer agreement with Center for Choice, one of the longest-serving abortion providers in the region.
“We respectfully thank University of Toledo’s President Dr. Lloyd Jacobs for his leadership and compassion which has resulted in the right outcome for pro-life taxpayers as well as faculty, staff, students and alumni. We couldn’t be happier with this outcome and believe that the greater good for this region has been served,” said Ohio Right to Life President Mike Gonidakis.
Gonidakis said that, according to Ohio law, Capital Care exists as an ambulatory surgical facility and because of this status, the clinic is not a full-service medical facility. In order for Capital Care Network of Toledo to operate legally, the clinic had to have a transfer agreement with a full-service hospital to handle all cases of abortion complications against the mother.
“This outcome would not have happened without the leadership of State Representative Lynn Wachtmann, Greater Toledo Right to Life and other elected officials. Most importantly we could not have achieved this life-affirming outcome without the prayers and support from our faithful grassroots members. Ohio Right to Life will continue to serve as the leading pro-life organization to help mothers and their children,” said Gonidakis.
“The only reason Capital Care exists is because of the publicly-funded University of Toledo. Without this transfer agreement, this abortion clinic could not legally operate in Ohio,” said Ohio Right to Life’s Executive Director, Rev. John Coats.
CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!
He told LifeNews, “This violates the conscience rights of Ohio taxpayers as well as pro-life faculty, staff and students. Ohio law clearly prohibits state tax dollars from paying for abortion and it is against the law for publicly funded hospitals to perform non-therapeutic abortions. Yet the University of Toledo circumvented our pro-life laws and the spirit of our public policy by entering into this transfer agreement.”
Ohio Right to Life is actively working with State Representative Lynn Wachtmann to introduce legislation to ban transfer agreements between tax-funded, public hospitals and abortion clinics in Ohio.
ACTION: Thank the University of Toledo board of trustees at https://www.utoledo.edu/offices/trustees
