ST. LOUIS — After months of legal battles with the State of Missouri, Planned Parenthood's St. Louis location has received its operating license.
“We are pleased to put the licensure issue to rest after more than a year of being targeted by Missouri’s health department," Yamelsie Rodríguez, President and CEO of Reproductive Health Services of Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis Region said in a statement.
Last year, the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services refused to renew the license of the state's only abortion provider, sparking a long legal battle. The department cited examples of unsafe practices that were found during state inspections.
Planned Parenthood had been allowed to operate and perform abortion procedures under judges' orders.
“This abortion license, while critical to our ability to provide care, still cannot undo the harm that longstanding medically unnecessary policies in our state inflict on patients. We continue to keep our doors open, and can continue to care for all patients who choose to access reproductive health care, including safe and legal abortion, in Missouri and across the region,” Rodriguez said.
Last month, a state government administrator decided the health department was wrong not to renew the license of the Planned Parenthood facility in St. Louis.
Planned Parenthood is the only abortion provider in Missouri. There is a Planned Parenthood facility in the Metro East.
Background on this case
- Ruling means Missouri's last abortion clinic stays open
- Legal deadline in Missouri abortion license case pushed back
- Missouri, Planned Parenthood argue in court over funding
- Hearing concludes in Missouri abortion clinic licensing case
- Doctor at Missouri abortion clinic defends patient care in day 3 of hearing
- Missouri agency tracked Planned Parenthood patients' periods
