Board of Health,

Not only are the interests of individual women at stake when we compromise health conditions for them, but so is the whole state of Virginia.

Dear Members of the Board of Health,

Abortion center regulations are essential for the health and safety of Virginia women and must be maintained. Health department inspectors have uncovered hundreds of health and safety violations. These violations include improper hand washing procedures and blood splatter on instruments and examination tables and abortions on minors without documented informed consent. The most recent inspections revealed significant abuse as an abortion center recorded an incredibly high number of complications from attempted chemical abortions with RU-486. The abortion industry has fought regulation for years, yet repeatedly independent inspectors find serious deficiencies, even during announced inspections. Abortion centers are not able to self-regulate. Abortion is not healthcare because it ends lives instead of healing them. However, since abortion operates under the guise of healthcare abortion centers must adhere to the regulatory standards of other healthcare facilities. Simply, Virginia women deserve nothing less. Thank you for considering my perspective on this important matter.

It is only reasonable to have regular inspections of public businesses, especially Health service organizations as everywhere today there is emphasis on the environments that promote unnecessary diseases that not only increase the risk of life to individuals, but also the financial burden to whole communities. Our constitutions declaring the right of all to equal protection cannot be overlooked in such a critical area of promoting the health of women. MMargaretAnn Schlather