Planned Parenthood Calls on Surgeon General Nominee to Pledge Support For Science, Women’s Health and Safety
For Immediate Release: Jan. 30, 2014
Holsinger Must Provide Clear Answers on Contraception, Comprehensive Sex Education And Other Commonsense Public Health Policies
WASHINGTON — On the heels of revelations yesterday that former Surgeon General Dr. Richard Carmona was gagged by the Bush administration from speaking out against abstinence-only programs and was consistently pressured to promote ideology over science, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) today called on surgeon general nominee Dr. James Holsinger to clearly state his support for access to contraception and other reproductive health care services — and to pledge allegiance to public health and sound science over ideology.
PPFA questions Dr. Holsinger’s qualifications to serve because of uncertainty about his commitment to women’s health and safety and to science over ideology, and his troubling record on homosexuality and HIV/AIDS.
“We have a health care crisis in this country — birth control should be affordable, information should be available, and the nation’s top doctor should be 100 percent committed to protecting the health and safety of women and teens. Dr. Holsinger’s history raises serious concerns about his ability to protect the health and safety of all Americans,” said PPFA President Cecile Richards. “On behalf of the nearly five million women, men, and teens who turn to us each year for essential services, Planned Parenthood calls on members of the Senate to demand answers from Dr. Holsinger on his commitment to women’s health and safety, access to contraception, including emergency contraception, medically accurate sex education, and preventing sexually transmitted infections.”
“Dr. Holsinger should be confirmed only if he pledges support for access to reproductive health, information, education and services for all Americans, so they can protect their health and plan their families,” added Richards. “As the nation’s leading advocate and provider of reproductive health care, Planned Parenthood knows that a commonsense health care agenda is the key to reducing the rates of teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, and building strong, healthy families.”
Every year, Planned Parenthood provides sexual and reproductive health services, education, and information to nearly five million women, men and teens. For more information on Planned Parenthood, please visit www.plannedparenthood.org.
Source
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
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Published
July 11, 2007
Updated
September 07, 2016