Planned Parenthood in 2006

Emergency Contraception

After a 40-month national campaign, in August the FDA finally approved over-the-counter access for emergency contraception (EC) for women 18 and over. This was an enormous victory, and Planned Parenthood led the way.

Planned Parenthood also worked tirelessly with pharmacy chains this year to get them to have favorable policies for dispensing EC and other forms of birth control.

On December 6, 343 Planned Parenthood health centers in 33 states participated in "Free EC Day."   Thousands of free EC packets were provided, and it was a great way to educate the public on the importance and expanded availability of EC. 

Legal Successes

Eve Gartner, PPFA senior staff attorney, brilliantly argued Gonzales v. Planned Parenthood before the U.S. Supreme Court, the first time ever that a Planned Parenthood staff attorney argued before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England: Succeeded in having the U.S. Supreme Court declare unanimously that any abortion regulation must protect a woman's health.

Planned Parenthood of Indiana v. Carter: Succeeded in protecting the confidentiality of patient medical records sought by the Indiana attorney general, and in obtaining a court ruling recognizing the right to privacy under the Indiana Constitution.

Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region v. Taft: Obtained a ruling striking down an Ohio law that interfered with women's access to medication abortion (mifepristone).

Planned Parenthood of Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota v. Rounds: Obtained an injunction against a South Dakota law that would compel doctors to indoctrinate women with state ideology about abortion.

Anti-Choice Politicians and Policies Were Rejected All Across the Country

Planned Parenthood beat back teen endangerment ballot initiatives in Oregon and California.

We helped the women of South Dakota and those in numerous other states to maintain the legal right to a full range of reproductive health care. Staff and volunteers from all over the country converged on South Dakota to help achieve this amazing result!

Thanks to tremendous work by Planned Parenthood activists and staff, a bill was voted down by Congress that would have placed politics over science by requiring doctors to give biased, information to women seeking abortions. This attempt at extremism failed because Planned Parenthood stood up for choice.

Planned Parenthood helped defeat the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA), a law that would have criminalized doctors and trusted adults who try to help teens seek safe, legal abortion services.

Planned Parenthood worked hard toward the successful passage of a Freedom of Choice Act in Hawaii, striking back hard at a wave of anti-abortion propaganda with a definitive statement, "The state shall not deny or interfere with a female's right to choose or obtain an abortion of a nonviable fetus or an abortion that is necessary to protect the life or health of a female."

Due to Planned Parenthood efforts, the Urbana School Board in Illinois unanimously approved health education guidelines for the next six years that include a comprehensive, age-appropriate approach to sex education in grades five through 12.

Planned Parenthood Online launched a redesigned site, and now, nearly one million people visit our site every month to get health care services and information.

This year, Planned Parenthood became the newest member of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, the nation's premier civil rights coalition.

Planned Parenthood volunteers all over the country did fantastic work this year as they do every year — not because they are paid but because they are passionate.  We also salute our volunteers who helped beat back the abortion ban in South Dakota and the teen endangerment measures in California and Oregon, and knocked on literally thousands of doors, getting out Planned Parenthood's message.

A real all-star cast: Lewis Black, Alan Cumming, Tim Daly, Olympia Dukakis, Nora Ephron, Al Franken, Whoopi Goldberg, Allison Janney, Carol Leifer, Wendie Malick, Sarah McLachlan, Natalie Merchant, Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gloria Steinem, Maura Tierney, Heather Tom, Aisha Tyler, and Kate Walsh were among the many PPFA Board of Advocates members and other leaders in the arts and entertainment industry who helped raise money and visibility for Planned Parenthood.

Planned Parenthood celebrated its 90^th anniversary this year, an amazing milestone and an opportunity to think about how we want to spend our next 90 years!