Abby Johnson, former Planned Parenthood director turned pro-life, testified before the Texas Medical Board to encourage them to investigate Dr. Paul Fine. Dr. Fine had been the clinic director at Abby Johnson’s former workplace (a Planned Parenthood clinic that has since been closed). Dr. Paul Fine is still the medical director of another clinic as well as being on staff at Baylor College of Medicine.
In an interview with Clinicquotes, Abby Johnson explained the allegations:
Why did you choose to file the complaint against Dr. Fine?
When I left Planned Parenthood, I had no idea that these things I was bringing forward were even against standard medical practice. When I learned this, I knew that I had to make these things public for the health and safety of women. I also want physicians to be held accountable, period. Whether they are family physicians or abortionists, physicians who endanger patients should be investigated.
In brief, what were the allegations?
The most egregious allegations are the two that the board are spending their most time on in their investigation: Pre-signing prescription pads for narcotics without ever having a conversation or examining the patient and backdating consent forms that stated he was physically in the presence of the patient and answered all of their questions when he never was.
In what ways were his actions dangerous or potentially harmful for patients? What could have happened as a result of his violations?
It is illegal to presign prescriptions for controlled substances. This is something that the states have really cracked down on because of the widespread abuse of narcotics. When doctors don’t actually examine the patients they are supposedly treating, the results can be very dangerous. Physicians are trained to examine the patient’s history to specifically look for contraindications that an untrained medical staff person may not be able to evaluate. I don’t know what the TMB will ultimately decide to do if they find proof of his negligence, but I don’t think removing or suspending his medical license is out of the question.
Can you give an example of harm done by his actions, a woman hurt, for example?
We often had women come back in with serious complications resulting from RU-486 abortions. Because we didn’t have a physician on site, we would have to either send them to the emergency room (which was not our preference) or make them drive two hours to our abortion center that did have a physician on site every day. If a woman is experiencing heavy bleeding or serious infection, two hours could be too long.
How did his neglect of meeting with patients violate their right to informed consent?
Every patient should have the opportunity and should have the right to discuss any procedure with the physician before that procedure is performed. This is standard practice in the medical community with the exception of abortion.
The Texas Medical Board voted to conduct an official investigation of Dr. Paul Fine and his behaviour at Planned Parenthood. Follow Abby Johnson on Facebook to learn of developments as they occur.
Share on Facebook
