Missouri Planned Parenthood facilities respond to Andrew Bailey's cease-and-desist order

COLUMBIA — Administrators from both of Missouri’s Planned Parenthood facilities responded to Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s cease-and-desist order. Bailey said his order ensured that basic health and safety standards were met by Planned Parenthood.

President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Margot Riphagen said there was nothing to cease or desist. Riphagen said Missouri’s Planned Parenthood health centers had complied with state law while her health care providers had been waiting weeks for the approval of their complication plan. That plan would begin offering medication abortions to Missouri Planned Parenthood patients.

President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Emily Wales said Bailey wanted some attention by issuing his cease-and-desist order. Wales said medication abortion had not been available at Missouri’s Planned Parenthood health centers since 2018. Wales said members of her organization would not provide medication abortions until they met legal requirements.

Wales said, “Many folks in Missouri know that there are 2 Planned Parenthoods in the state. At this point, we haven’t received anything. I can confirm that both Planned Parenthoods are only able to offer procedural abortion care because of that complication plan that requires state approval. We can’t offer medication abortion. In my opinion, this is an attempt to grab some attention.”

Wales said Missouri Planned Parenthood administrators had not received a response from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services regarding the offering of medication abortions. Missouri voters approved Amendment 3 in November 2024 which amended the State Constitution to legalize abortion in Missouri until fetal viability.