Holly O’Donnell appeared in the latest Planned Parenthood video, detailing her work with StemExpress. She said fetal tissue was sometimes taken without consent. Since the video was released, StemExpress has cut ties with Planned Parenthood and more states are considering defunding. (YouTube/The Center for Medical Progress)
Holly O’Donnell appeared in the latest Planned Parenthood video released by The Center for Medical Progress. In the video, O’Donnell, a licensed phlebotomist, talked about the job she was hired to do by StemExpress, how she passed out while collecting fetal parts, and how fetal tissue was taken without consent. Her comments have set off a firestorm of reactions online. StemExpress had originally sought through a temporary injunction to stop CMP from releasing any videos related to its connections with Planned Parenthood. With that attempt not working, StemExpress has just announced that it is cutting ties with Planned Parenthood.
Here’s what you need to know.
1. Holly O’Donnell Was a Procurement Technician for StemExpress When It Worked With Planned Parenthood
Holly O’Donnell, in the video above, talked extensively about her work with StemExpress and Planned Parenthood. O’Donnell is a phlebotomist, but she was hired by StemExpress to be a procurement technician. StemExpress provides blood and tissue to biomedical researchers. O’Donnell’s job was to identify pregnant patients who matched customers’ needs and harvest fetal body parts from abortions, The Center for Medical Progress reported. When she took the job with StemExpress, she did not know that this is what she would be required to do.
2. O’Donnell Said Fetal Tissue Was Taken Without Consent
Mary O’Donnell said that fetal tissue was sometimes taken without consent. (YouTube/The Center for Medical Progress)
O’Donnell told The Center for Medical Progress that tissue was taken without consent. She said that if there was a higher gestation that technicians needed, they would sometimes just take the tissue without ever getting consent from the mothers. She was pushed to do this, but often balked at following through on the requests. Federal law requires consent for fetal tissue donation.
3. She Said She Passed Out While Identifying Fetal Parts After an Abortion
Holly O’Donnell said her work with StemExpress and Planned Parenthood made her pass out.(YouTube/The Center for Medical Progress)
O’Donnell said that some of the work she did for StemExpress and Planned Parenthood made her pass out. On her first day with StemExpress, she said that she visited a Planned Parenthood clinic and was asked to identify fetus parts after an abortion, IJReview reported. As she was digging through body parts, she passed out. Afterward, a nurse told her that a lot of them still pass out and some people never get used to the work.
4. StemExpress Has Broken Ties With Planned Parenthood Since O’Donnell’s Video Was Released
StemExpress announced on its website that it was breaking ties with Planned Parenthood after the video was released. (StemExpress)
Since the sixth video was released, StemExpress has announced that it’s breaking ties with Planned Parenthood. The company had previously received a temporary injunction on having any videos released by the Center for Medical Progress, CNN reported. In its statement, posted on its website (pictured above), StemExpress said that it had to terminate activities with Planned Parenthood due to increased questions about Planned Parenthood’s activities:
We value our various partnerships but, due to the increased questions that have arisen over the past few weeks, we feel it prudent to terminate activities with Planned Parenthood. While we value our relationship with Planned Parenthood, that work represents a small percentage of our overall business activity and we must focus our limited resources on resolving these inquiries.
StemExpress is based in Placerville, California. Since the video was released, residents of Placerville have expressed outrage, Fox40 reported. Pro-life supporters have been protesting outside of StemExpress, which may have played a role in the company’s decision to steer clear of Planned Parenthood. Meanwhile, Google reviews of StemExpress have tanked, with people also expressing their outrage through their reviews. The company currently has a 1.3 out of 5 stars.
5. Four States Have Defunded Planned Parenthood
Four states have moved to defund Planned Parenthood. (YouTube/The Center for Medical Progress)
Four states have moved to defund Planned Parenthood following the released videos. These states are Arkansas, Alabama, Louisiana, and New Hampshire, Life News reported. Alabama and Louisiana are working on revoking a contract that used Medicaid funding. New Hampshire ceased $650,000 in state tax funding. Arkansas is ending Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood.
