Citing many state law violations, the Pennsylvania Department of Health closed a West Philadelphia abortion clinic February 22. In addition, the clinic’s owner, Kermit Gosnell, had his medical license suspended by the state, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. His license has also been temporarily suspended in Delaware. (See www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/March10/nv030410part3.html)

Abortionist Kermit Gosnell

Violations found by the Pennslvania health department include blocked or locked exit halls and doors that hindered medical technicians when they responded to emergency calls from the clinic, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.

“Emergency resuscitation and monitoring equipment such as a heart defibrillator, breathing tubes, and a blood oxygen gauge were nonexistent or broken,” the newspaper continued. “The only suction source for clearing a blocked airway was the same one used for early abortions; it had no inspection sticker and corroded tubing.”

Gosnell is also accused of performing at least six second-trimester abortions during three months last year when his official records listed only two, according to the Inquirer. He also failed to report the cardiac arrest suffered by one patient after an abortion in November. (See www.nrlc.org/News_and_Views/Feb10/nv022410part2.html)

Authorities gave Gosnell 30 days to respond to the lengthy list of violations, the Inquirer reported. As noted above Gosnell can also no longer practice medicine in neighboring Delaware. His license was suspended there March 10 based on the Pennsylvania health department’s findings, according to a press release from the Delaware Secretary of State.