Washington University has joined forces with Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Planned Parenthood of St. Louis to train abortionists. It is called the Family Planning Fellowship Program, and its stated goal is to "develop tomorrow's leaders in reproductive health."

Fellows in the program are trained to become "expert" in all methods of first and second trimester abortions, which the program describes as "uterine evacuation procedures." The program claims it is the only fellowship in the nation providing the opportunity to develop "high-level...clinical skills" in "abortion care."

The program website states that fellows will participate in abortions at the Reproductive Health Services clinic operated by Planned Parenthood of St. Louis. The site says that "here, fellows will learn, and ultimately teach and supervise residents in first and second trimester surgical abortions and medical abortion." According to the website, more than 6,000 abortions are done annually at Reproductive Health Services.

The Family Planning Fellowship Program also states that while most of the fellows' abortion experience will be at Planned Parenthood, "new in-patient abortion services are being developed at Barnes-Jewish Hospital." The program lists Barnes-Jewish Hospital as one of the clinical training sites.

The website also explains that Washington University is collaborating with St. Louis University "to accomplish the goals of the Family Planning Fellowship." Fellows are advised that they can complete a Master's degree in Public Health at the St. Louis University School of Public Health.

In the area of research, fellows are told that they will work with leading clinicians and researchers "to develop new approaches to...pregnancy termination in the United States and abroad." In the area of public policy, fellows are advised that they can "learn about and participate in advocacy efforts of pro-choice and professional organizations."

The director of the Family Planning Fellowship Program is Jeffrey Peipert, M.D. Peipert is the Vice Chair of Clinical Research in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Washington University. He is also the medical director for Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region. The co-director of the program is Tessa Madden, M.D., who is a member of the pro-abortion group Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health.

A key faculty member in the Family Planning Fellowship Program is Robert Crist, M.D. The website accurately states that Crist has performed abortions for over 35 years, and is "a major provider of...abortions at Planned Parenthood." Yet another faculty member is Diane Merritt, M.D., who is an active member of the Association of Reproductive Health Professionals, an organization with close ties to the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

It is unconscionable that Washington University is educating physicians who are supposed to be practitioners of the healing arts to instead become "experts" in the destruction of unborn children. It is equally unconscionable for a health care institution like Barnes Hospital that prides itself on "world-class" health services to instead be a partner in the killing of innocent pre-born children.

We are providing you below the names and contact information of various decision-makers at Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. You may wish to contact them to urge that they put an end to this shameful and insidious relationship with Planned Parenthood.

Please pray for them as you send such messages that they will receive your communication with an open heart:

Washington University, Mark Wrighton, Chancellor, Washington University, Campus Box 1192, St. Louis, MO 63130, e-mail: wrighton@wustl.edu

Stephen Brauer, Chairman of the Board, Washington University, North Brookings Hall, Room 220, Campus Box 1081, St. Louis, MO 63130

Barnes-Jewish Hospital:
• Stephen Lipstein, President and CEO, BJC Health Care
• Andrew Ziskind, MD, President, Barnes-Jewish Hospital
• Patrick Stokes, Chairman of the Board, Barnes-Jewish Hospital

Address for above Barnes Hospital contacts: One Barnes-Jewish Hospital Plaza, St. Louis, MO 63110

Barnes Jewish Hospital Contact Us link: http://www.barnesjewish.org/groups/contactus.asp

For many years a conspiracy of silence has surrounded the abortion industry and its agents. It is time for that silence to be broken.

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