CPCs pose as objective health facilities using neutral-sounding names and deceptive advertising practices that lead women facing unintended pregnancies to believe that they will be offered unbiased counseling and a full range of reproductive health services. Unsuspecting women are lured into CPCs with the offer of free pregnancy testing or HIV tests.

"When women are making a health decision, they should never be subject to deceit and trickery," said Maloney, at a press conference on March 30 to announce the bill. "Some of these crisis pregnancy centers should be called 'counterfeit pregnancy centers.' They have the right to exist, but they shouldn't have the right to deceive in order to advance their particular beliefs."

Inside CPCs

Once inside, the clinic staff — usually volunteers with no professional training — try to dissuade women from choosing abortion by subjecting them to inaccurate, anti-choice propaganda and intimidation. Women are exposed to films and written materials that lie about the nature of abortion, the development of the fetus, and the medical and "psychological" effects of abortion. The false information is designed to scare women into carrying pregnancies to term. CPCs also use ultrasound pictures to try to emotionally manipulate women into continuing their pregnancies.

"Deception and lies don't help women make informed choices," said Joan Malin, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood of New York City. "Too often women are given incomplete or even inaccurate information that leaves them misinformed, confused, and afraid. I applaud these lawmakers for introducing federal legislation that would guarantee critical health care information is given to women so they can make informed decisions about their health."

CPCs in the Community

Although they are not health care providers with accredited educators or counselors, CPCs have spread their misinformation campaign into the public school system. "The deception is going beyond the walls of these clinics," said Rev. Anna Saxon, Planned Parenthood Heart of Illinois board chair. "CPCs are setting themselves up as the 'go-to' people for sex education in the public schools and are quickly becoming the primary providers of sex education to our children. In addition, I have counseled women who have suffered spiritual coercion and manipulation at the hands of CPC staff. This is spiritual abuse."

Instead of listing themselves in phonebooks under "abortion alternatives," CPCs are often listed under "clinics," "medical services," or "family planning," a misrepresentation that attracts women facing unintended pregnancies who are in search of a clinic that provides a full range of services. CPCs choose names such as "Women's Resource Center" or "Loving Care Pregnancy Center" to mislead women, and CPCs attempt to further confuse women by establishing themselves near legitimate reproductive health care facilities that do provide a full range of services, including abortion services or referrals.

The Bush administration created a windfall for CPCs through federal funds allocated to abstinence-only education programs, for which many CPCs qualify. Money is also raised in various states through the sale of "Choose Life" license plates — the profits of which often go to CPCs. Today, there are six CPCs in the United States for every legitimate health clinic that provides abortions.

How the SDAWS Act Will Stop CPCs

SDAWS directs the FTC to create rules that prohibit any organization from advertising services with the intent to deceive the public into believing that the organization is a provider of abortion services if it does not in fact provide those services. Maloney's bill makes it clear that the FTC has the authority to penalize or take corrective action against organizations that purport to provide abortion services even if they are nonprofit organizations and provide their services for free.

"Using scare tactics and offering misinformation about medical options doesn't allow women to make informed decisions," said Malin. "Although they may claim to provide a range of services, CPCs are not legitimate health facilities and do not offer comprehensive health services and non-biased, medically accurate information about all pregnancy options. Most often they don't even meet medical standards, and this is why we must pass this bill now."

© 2006 Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Inc. All rights reserved.