Washington Post: Claim That Planned Parenthood Does Mammograms is Totally “Misleading”

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Oct 2, 2015   |   12:19PM   |   Washington, DC

When she appeared before a Congressional hearing earlier this week, Planned Parenthood abortion company president Cecile Richards repeatedly admitted that it does not provide mammograms for women. She essentially admitted that previous claims that the abortiong iant does mammograms were a lie, something pro-life groups have long pointed out.

Now, the pro-abortion Washington Post has confirmed that the claim Planned Parenthood does mammograms is totally “misleading.”

The Post said its readers asked it to verify a claim from pro-abortion Congressman Carolyn Maloney, who said, “All of the signatories [of a letter in support of defunding Planned Parenthood] are men. None of whom will get pregnant, or need a cervical screening for cancer, or a mammogram, or a pap smear, or other life-saving services that are provided by Planned Parenthood.”

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The Washington Post responded:

Maloney’s statement above appeared to contradict comments by Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards’s repeated claim at a Sept. 29 congressional hearing that the organization does not, in fact, offer mammograms or have mammogram machines in its clinics.

Turns out, supporters have continued to assert that Planned Parenthood offers mammograms even though it has been debunked for years. Even more problematic: High-profile supporters continue to repeat it, such as comedian Margaret Cho (who tweeted about this repeatedly during the hearing) and Whoopi Goldberg (who referred to it on “The View” the day after the hearing). Miss Tennessee Hannah Robison even grabbed headlines during September’s Miss America contest, when she said Planned Parenthood’s federal funding “goes for mammograms.”

The liberal newspaper confined what pro-life groups have said all along, namely that all Planned Parenthood does is self-check breast exams that women can do on their own or at a legitimate medical center. And if needed, all Planned Parenthood does is refer to legitimate clinics for mammograms.

Planned Parenthood’s annual report shows it gave 487,029 breast exam services for women in 2013. This is a clinical breast exam, checking for changes or lumps in women’s breasts. If the doctor finds something abnormal or worth checking out, the patient is referred for a mammogram, which requires X-rays given at a licensed radiology facility.

Richards said during the hearing that Planned Parenthood clinics do not have mammogram machines. The Federal Drug Administration’s list, updated weekly, of certified mammography facilities does not list any Planned Parenthood clinics.

Despite the ongoing emphasis on Planned Parenthood’s mammogram referrals, this service does not reflect the core clients of the organization — certainly not clients in the reproductive age or have the highest rate of first-time abortions. Further, less than 3 percent of the breast exams offered at Planned Parenthood resulted in mammography referrals.

The Post concluded:

The myth that Planned Parenthood actually offers mammogram X-rays to patients has been long debunked, and needs to stop being repeated. Planned Parenthood does not administer mammograms, but it keeps being perpetuated by the group’s supporters, including celebrities whose claims have a wide reach.

When Democratic lawmakers or other supporters assert that Planned Parenthood “provides” mammograms, this is highly misleading language because it could be interpreted to mean that the group directly administers the X-rays. The group does not “provide” mammograms.

We uphold the rating we gave to the president in 2012, and award Three Pinocchios to Planned Parenthood supporters’ continued use of misleading language to suggest that it directly administers mammograms. In fact, supporters should drop this talking point, given that less than 3 percent of Planned Parenthood breast exams result in a referral for a mammogram and other specialized services.

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