National Review's Lowry Baselessly Calls Figures On Planned Parenthood Services “Fake And Bogus”

Discussing recent legislation in Indiana to bar Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funds, National Review editor Rich Lowry dismissed statistics about Planned Parenthood's services as “fake and bogus,” baselessly asserting that abortion is “a huge part of its business.” In fact, abortion accounts for only 3 percent of Planned Parenthood's total services and only 15 percent of total revenue.

Lowry: “Fake And Bogus Statistics” Minimize How Abortion “Is A Large Part” Of Planned Parenthood's Operations

Lowry: Planned Parenthood Is A “Pro-Abortion Ideological Organization.” From Fox News' America Live:

LOWRY: Whatever the legalities are, though, I don't think Planned Parenthood should get any state, federal, any government money, in any form whatsoever. It's a pro-abortion ideological organization. If it really cares just about providing family planning and whatnot for poor women, fine, get out of the abortion business. It's a huge part of its business. There are all sorts of fake and bogus statistics out there to minimize how big a part abortion is of Planned Parenthood's operations, but it's a large part. This is a pro-abortion organization, and my tax dollars should not go to it. [Fox News, America Live, 6/3/2011]

Abortions -- Never Funded With Federal Tax Dollars -- Account For 3% Of Planned Parenthood's Services, Less Than 15% Of Total Revenue

Planned Parenthood: “Three Percent Of All Planned Parenthood Health Services Are Abortion Services.” From Planned Parenthood's website:

Our Work

Planned Parenthood health centers focus on prevention: 83 percent of our clients receive services to prevent unintended pregnancy.

Planned Parenthood services help prevent more than 612,000 unintended pregnancies each year.

Planned Parenthood provides nearly one million Pap tests and more than 830,000 breast exams each year, critical services in detecting cancer.

Planned Parenthood provides nearly four million tests and treatments for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.

Three percent of all Planned Parenthood health services are abortion services.

Planned Parenthood affiliates provide educational programs to nearly 1.2 million young people and adults each year. [Planned Parenthood website, accessed 6/3/2011]

Contraception, STD Testing And Treatment, Cancer Screening Make Up Vast Majority Of Planned Parenthood Services. From Planned Parenthood's 2008-2009 annual report:

For the three million patients our doctors and nurses saw, we provided contraception (36 percent of our total services), testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (31 percent), cancer screening and prevention (17 percent), and abortion services (three percent). [Planned Parenthood Annual Report 2008-2009, accessed 6/3/11]

Planned Parenthood Receives 15% Of Its Annual Revenue From Abortion Services. According to data from the most recent Planned Parenthood Annual Report:

  • Abortion accounted for 3 percent of total services (approximately 328,308 of 10,943,609 services)
  • At an average cost of $500, total revenue from abortion services was approximately $164,154,000
  • Revenue from abortion services was less than 15 percent of the total annual revenue, which was $1,100,800,000 [Planned Parenthood Annual Report 2008-2009, accessed 6/3/11]

Planned Parenthood Indiana CEO: “None Of” Government Funding “Supports Abortion. Not A Penny.” In Planned Parenthood Indiana's 2010 annual report, CEO Betty Cockrum wrote:

A movement is afoot to defund Planned Parenthoods across the country -- both at the national and state levels, prohibiting any federal funds for family planning to be given to us or any other affiliate. It is an incredibly shortsighted pursuit. PPIN is the leading provider of all reproductive health care to low-income women in the state. The government funding in question is about prevention. None of it supports abortion. Not a penny. It pays for basic health care services such as Pap tests that screen for cancer, breast exams, STD testing and treatment and birth control. [Planned Parenthood Indiana 2010 Annual Report, accessed 6/3/2011]

In Fiscal Year 2010, Abortions Accounted For Only 3.56% Of Services Provided By Planned Parenthood Indiana. Planned Parenthood Indiana provided 156,569 total services, of which 5,580 (3.56%) were abortions. From Planned Parenthood Indiana's 2010 annual report:

PPIN page

[Planned Parenthood Indiana 2010 Annual Report, accessed 6/3/2011]