Planned Parenthood clinic can reapply for privileges

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- University of Missouri Health Care said Tuesday it's compiling documents so a Planned Parenthood clinic in Columbia can apply for state-required privileges after the university decided to pull privileges earlier this year.

Even with the latest move by the university, the clinic in Columbia is likely to lose its ability to perform medication-induced abortions.

Its current privileges will end Dec. 1, and University of Missouri Health Care spokeswoman Teresa Snow said in a statement the application process takes months.

Under state law, Missouri clinics must obtain certain privileges with local hospitals to be able to perform abortions.

A panel of University of Missouri Health Care medical staff voted in September to stop offering so-called refer-and-follow privileges Planned Parenthood used to obtain approval from the state health department to perform medication-induced abortions.

The Health and Senior Services Department has said the Columbia Planned Parenthood will lose approval to conduct abortions without hospital privileges.

Planned Parenthood's upcoming loss of refer-and-follow privileges comes amid upheaval at the university.

Two top leaders stepped down last week following student protests and one student's hunger strike over the administration's handling of racial issues.

The university also dealt with blowback after it began breaking ties with Planned Parenthood amid legislative investigations that delved into the Columbia clinic's relationship with the University of Missouri.

Former Columbia campus Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, who announced his resignation Nov. 9, had called for a review of university policies and procedures.

A number of agreements with Planned Parenthood were canceled as a result, although three additional agreements have been finalized since.

How interim leadership will handle the university's relationship with Planned Parenthood is unclear.

Requests for comment to Interim Chancellor Hank Foley were not returned Tuesday.

Abortion-rights supporters and abortion foes continue to pressure the university over its relationship with Planned Parenthood.

Kathy Forck, a campaign director with the Columbia chapter of anti-abortion group 40 Days for Life, said she and others met with Loftin days before he resigned and delivered nearly 3,800 letters backing decisions to cut ties with Planned Parenthood.

She said groups opposed to abortion are working on more letter-writing campaigns.

Forck said anti-abortion activists stand by former calls to administrators and the University of Missouri System's governing board to get the university "out of the abortion business."

She said granting a Planned Parenthood doctor privileges that could be used to get state approval to perform abortions would violate state laws prohibiting public funds from being used to facilitate abortions.

A Tuesday email from Planned Parenthood Advocates in Missouri urges supporters to ask Foley to reinstate the clinic's privileges and renew contracts with the clinic.