With Little Explanation, Planned Parenthood Alters RU486 Protocol.

While admitting no blame and offering little information on the latest women to die after taking the abortion drug at its clinics, on the same day the FDA issued its latest alert, Planned Parenthood announced that it would no longer be recommending vaginal administration of the prostaglandin in the second stage of the chemical abortion process.

Planned Parenthood made no statements regarding other deviations it has taken from the FDA protocol. However, an unidentified spokesperson from the organization did tell a reporter from the New York Times that it would continue having its chemical abortion patients take the prostaglandin at home rather than at the clinics (3/18/06).

Recent changes found on the Planned Parenthood web site (www.plannedparenthood.org) also indicate that the organization will now limit chemical abortions to women 56 days after their last menstrual period, a week earlier than it defended on its web site last year, but still a week beyond the time limit of the FDA protocol.

Planned Parenthood never spells out its full protocol in its press releases or online. However the March 2006 revisions to the PPFA web site continue to mention that a "large majority of clinicians exercise their legal right to adapt the approved [FDA] protocol based on scientific evidence."

It goes on to speak of the effectiveness of reduced dosages of RU486, extending the time period for use of the drug, and eliminating the second visit and allowing the woman to administer the prostaglandin to herself at home, all parts of the alternative NAF protocol.

In its March 17, 2006, statement announcing the protocol change, Planned Parenthood says that one woman died several days after the procedure while another died weeks after hers. "We do not know the exact cause of these incidents," the organization says, but argues that "At ...