By Cheryl Sullenger
Albuquerque, NM – The University of New Mexico has announced that it is suspending human fetal tissue experimentation program after it determined that researcher Robin Ohls violated UNM Health Sciences Center policy regarding aborted baby remains it obtained from Southwestern Women’s Options, one of the few facilities in America that openly conducts abortions throughout all nine months of pregnancy.
Ohls was banned from continuing her experimentation on aborted baby remains after two UNM committees found that she had not properly filed required paperwork concerning her relationship with a Michigan company, Zietchick, which procured aborted baby parts from Ohls for use in its own experiments. Ohls also failed to seek an internal review of her research, according to the Albuquerque Journal.
UNM and Southwestern Women’s Options, which was the sole supplier of aborted baby remains to the UNM Health Science Center, are under investigation by the U.S Department of Justice for the illegal sale of aborted baby remains for “valuable consideration,” which is a Federal crime. The outcome of that investigation is pending.
The Journal also reported that there were 72 remains of aborted babies left from Ohl’s experimentation. According to a memo issued by Dr. Paul Roth, UNM Health Science Center Chancellor, those remains have been moved to a central repository for storage until a decision can be made about whether or not they should be destroyed.
Tara Shaver of Abortion Free New Mexico, who filed the original criminal complaint against UNM and Southwestern Women’s Options at the state level, sent a letter yesterday to Chancellor Roth requesting that the remains be turned over to her organization for proper burial.
“I have made arrangements with a local mortuary to receive these human remains so that they may be buried with dignity and respect. I have access to an appropriate burial plot and I am also working with various church leaders in the Albuquerque area to prepare for a suitable funeral. This will all be at no cost to UNM,” Shaver wrote.
“We stand with Abortion Free New Mexico in calling on UNM to do the right thing and release the 72 aborted baby remains for a dignified burial,” said Operation Rescue President Troy Newman. “These babies were human beings, and treating them as merely waste tissue is an unacceptable devaluation of their brief lives. They deserve so much more.”
Read Shaver’s letter to Roth
Take Action!
Those who believe the aborted baby remains currently in storage at UNM deserve a proper burial are being asked to contact Dr. Paul Roth and respectfully request that he release the aborted baby remains to Abortion Free New Mexico for a dignified interment at a local cemetery.
Phone: (505) 272-5849
Email: PRoth@salud.unm.edu