Earlier this week, Women’s Health Care Center in Bethesda, Maryland, confirmed that it is performing surgical abortions — yet there is no evidence that the facility is licensed, or ever was licensed, to do so.
According to pro-life activist group Operation Rescue, this is the third time this year an abortion facility in Maryland has been caught performing abortions without a license. Operation Rescue claims that Women’s Health Care Center “refuses to say how late surgical abortions are done there,” but “women are charged $120 for an examination and consultation, then $250 and up for a surgical abortion.”
The apparently unlicensed facility is operated by abortionist Alan J. Ross, whose medical license was suspended in 1993 after one of his patients died following an abortion. Ross apparently failed to realize his 28-year-old patient was suffering from an ectopic pregnancy, which was not removed during the abortion, leading to her death.
According to Operation Rescue:
[The] Maryland Board of Physicians…found that Ross’ overall practice was “deficient.” His medical records were illegible and inadequate. His staff disposed of aborted baby remains in the regular trash. Tests for sexually transmitted diseases were done in Ross’ office and not a lab. The Board found he was not even proficient in performing such tests.
“It is unconscionable that a man like Ross is allowed to operate outside the protective oversight that licensing is supposed to provide,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “Women’s lives and health are being placed at risk every day at his illicit facility, which appears never to have been inspected for over two decades.”
Operation Rescue claims that it has submitted evidence of the illegal abortions to the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Maryland Board of Physicians.