Last abortion clinic in Missouri to be shutdown

Planned Parenthood’s legal abortion practice in Missouri is on its ‘last breath’ this week, as the state is about to shut down the group’s last remaining abortion clinic.

According to the ‘for profit’ Planned Parenthood company, the health department in Missouri is “refusing to renew” it’s abortion practice license.

If the Planned Parenthood license is not renewed by Friday, May 31, Missouri will become the first and only state without a functioning abortion clinic in 46 years.

As expected, this is being fought in the courts. Planned Parenthood has filed a litigation to keep the state of interrupting their abortion practice.

Florida Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), a strong proponent of a woman’s right to choose, asserted the legality of the practice of abortions.

“Abortion is legal,” said Wasserman Schultz. “Everyone should have the ability to access this reproductive health right safely and legally.”

Here is more from CBS:

On May 20, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services notified Planned Parenthood of three issues that could impact license renewal, according to documents reviewed by CBS News and provided by Planned Parenthood.

On May 22, Planned Parenthood said it would address two of them: adjusting who at the clinic provided the state-mandated counseling and adding an additional pelvic exam for abortion patients.

But it said a third request was out of its control. According to Planned Parenthood, the health department said it was investigating "deficient practices," and needed to interview seven physicians who provide care at the clinic. Planned Parenthood said it could offer interviews only with two who are its employees.

The other five physicians working at the facility are residents in training and not employed by Planned Parenthood, a spokesperson for the clinic said via email on Tuesday. The state has indicated that the result of those interviews could be "board review" in addition to "criminal proceedings," the spokesperson said. The medical residents declined to be interviewed for the state's investigation.