Two businesses are being taken to court in California for allegedly profiting from the sale of body parts from aborted babies.
The District Attorney’s office in Orange County, California, has accused DaVinci Biosciences and DV Biologics of making over $1.5 million from the sale of foetal tissue to research facilities between 2013 and 2015.
Both companies deny any wrongdoing, claiming that they have complied with regulations and never turned a profit.
Illegal
The companies, which share owners, received donated foetal tissue from abortion providers, including Planned Parenthood.
In the US, it is legal for abortion clinics to donate the foetal tissue of aborted babies to research facilities.
However, it is illegal to profit from transactions. Companies may only charge for processing, handling and shipping.
Commission
DaVinci Biosciences and DV Biologics are accused of both directly profiting from tissue sales and also circumventing rules by overcharging for processing services.
According to the District Attorney’s Office, one employee wrote in an email: “It costs us roughly $25 per unit to manufacture, and we are selling for $170”.
The office also alleged that employees were paid commission and were pushed to drive sales to meet targets.
No excuse
Kristan Hawkins, President of Students for Life of America, said: “Hopefully this lawsuit is the beginning of the unravelling of the entire for-profit fetal tissue industry”.
Hawkins added: “If a California District Attorney can file suit for illegally profiting off of baby body parts, there’s no excuse for law enforcement in other parts of the country not to do their jobs and put a stop to this criminal activity.”