The main ‘mission’ behind Planned Parenthood’s new ‘test’ pharmacy in Ohio

Planned Parenthood pharmacy PPRx, on the campus of the Planned Parenthood Akron Health Center and operated by Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio (PPGO), is being tested as a “blueprint for Planned Parenthood sites across the country,” PPGO pharmacy director Christopher Smurthwaite, told IdeaStream.org.

If successful, PPRx could “expand beyond Akron in the next year or two,” Smurthwaite claimed.

The Planned Parenthood pharmacy, which will “offer a wide range of prescription medications,” is open to the public and shows a registration issue date 1/10/2024 from the Ohio Board of Pharmacy.

But this pharmacy wasn’t truly founded with a “wide range” of prescription medications in mind.

What’s PPRx’s true “mission”?

According to PPGO’s website, the Planned Parenthood pharmacy PPRx, which officially opened for business in October of 2024, has one main “mission” (emphasis added):

Our mission is to empower and support individuals on their gender-affirming journey by providing compassionate, personalized, and inclusive pharmaceutical care. We are dedicated to offering comprehensive and accessible healthcare solutions, fostering a safe and welcoming environment, and advocating for the unique needs of our transgender and non-binary community. Through education and empathy, PPrx Pharmacy will strive to enhance the well-being and health outcomes of all our patients.

We welcome and honor your authentic self. 

The site also notes that it will offer a “a wide range of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, health and wellness products, and personalized healthcare services.”

The Planned Parenthood pharmacy claims it will offer “vaccinations, including COVID-19 vaccines and flu shots, overdose prevention medications, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, HIV prevention medications, like PrEP and PEP, Gender-affirming hormone therapy medications,” according to the website.

Smurthwaite told IdeaStream.org that the Planned Parenthood pharmacy was inspired to “reduc[e] the barriers for patients that are having issues with their pharmacies and filling medications, especially as we started to emerge as a go-to organization for gender-affirming care.”

“We were identifying that patients were having issues, not only filling their medications, but getting the correct supplies and unfortunately, also having to deal with the social stigma of filling gender-affirming care products,” Smurthwaite told IdeaStream.org.

However, at the same time, the PPRx website claims it is a “community-focused pharmacy” offering a “wide range of prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, health and wellness products, and personalized healthcare services.”

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio

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Today's the day! We're excited to officially open the doors of our first-of-its-kind community pharmacy in Akron.

4:30 PM · Oct 30, 2024

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According to IdeaStream.org, “Akron was chosen as the test site because it has the capacity to serve as a central hub, holding medications for other Planned Parenthood locations throughout the state, Smurthwaite said. The plan is to expand beyond Akron in the next year or two while using this effort as a blueprint for Planned Parenthood sites across the country.”

The Planned Parenthood pharmacy is currently using Microsoft forms to collect personal information such as name or “preferred name” or “pronouns,” date of birth, address, phone number and prescription information for those seeking to fulfill or transfer a prescription. The form is clear that “Microsoft is not responsible for the privacy or security practices of its customers, including those of this form owner.”

PPRx utilizes TrueScripts, a pharmacist-founded Prescription Benefit Management (PBM) company founded in 2013 by Nathan Gabhart, and co-founded by John Bell and Kevin Messmer, for prescription transfers.

A video published about TrueScripts’ founding claims the company is based on “truth” and “transparency” and it shows the staff holding hands in prayer with Gabhart, stating that the company had agreed to “tithe ten percent of our profits.”

“We have been so blessed so that we can be a blessing to others,” co-founder Messmer stated.

“It’s so much fun to be a vessel of God’s blessing and share these blessings with others,” Gabhart stated in the video.

While TrueScripts openly refers to PPRx in its pharmacy locator, it is unclear whether TrueScripts’ founders are aware that PPRx is a Planned Parenthood pharmacy, operated by the nation’s number one abortion provider (which commits 40% of the country’s abortions). Live Action News has reached out to the company and is awaiting a response.

TrueScripts | Our Founding Story

PPRx and the Abortion Pill 

Live Action News contacted the Planned Parenthood pharmacy to inquire whether PPRx was currently dispensing the abortion pill. In a phone call to PPRx, an unnamed staffer told Live Action News that at this time the pharmacy was not dispensing the drug. We were then referred to Planned Parenthood in Bedford.

In addition, the person answering the phone at PPRx stated the Planned Parenthood pharmacy was not currently offering telehealth services. However, this contradicts a report published by the Akron-Beacon Journal which claimed “PPRx also offers telehealth appointments and is planning on adding delivery services,” according to their interview with Erica Wilson-Domer, PPGOH president and CEO.

The media outlet also reported that the Planned Parenthood pharmacy “operates as a nonprofit” but did not offer “medication abortions or surgical abortions.” Instead, PPRx “does offer consultations to patients who are considering or planning on having abortions,” the news report claimed.

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