PHILADELPHIA: The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer announced today that the first U.S. abortion-breast cancer (ABC) lawsuit settled for an undisclosed amount on October 17, 2003. The case was filed in Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. The plaintiff was a 17-year-old Pennsylvania resident when a second-trimester abortion was performed in New Jersey without parental knowledge or consent. Although she hasn't developed breast cancer, she sued her abortion provider, Charles Benjamin, for neglecting to warn her about the physical and emotional risks of abortion.

Karen Malec, the coalition's president, declared, "This settlement will teach the medical establishment that it can no longer profit by keeping women in the dark about the breast cancer risk. This case also establishes that abortion providers can be sued for battery if the abortion provider performs no parental consent abortions on minors from neighboring states (with parental consent statutes), even if the state where the abortion is performed does not have a parental consent statute."

The plaintiff's attorney, Joseph P. Stanton, will hold a press conference on a later date. For further details, contact his office at: 405 Old York Road, Jenkintown, Pennsylvania; phone 215/886-6780.

The first case world-wide was brought in Australia and was also won by the plaintiff, who had not developed the disease, but sued her physician for having neglected to inform her about the risks of breast cancer and emotional harm. The amount of the settlement was not disclosed. Additional lawsuits have since been filed in Australia as well as in the United States.

The ABC link has been called "the elephant in medicine's parlor." Medical experts privately say abortion causes breast cancer, but the volatility of the issue prevents them from publicly acknowledging it.

According to a National Cancer Institute (NCI) commissioned study, teens who procure abortions before age 18, more than double their risk. [1] Girls and women have a predominance of immature, cancer-vulnerable Types 1 & 2 breast lobules, which aren't matured into cancer-resistant Types 3 & 4 lobules until a term pregnancy takes place. Abortion can increase the statistical odds of developing breast cancer in two ways: 1) It delays a first term pregnancy; and 2) It increases the number of cancer-vulnerable breast cells because estrogen overexposure during a normal pregnancy stimulates cell multiplication. Women don't receive protection from estrogen overexposure until third trimester hormones mature their breast tissue into milk-producing Types 3 & 4 lobules.

Scientists have proven themselves incapable of refuting the biological explanation for the ABC link. Thirteen out of 16 U.S. studies report risk elevations. The NCI provided at least partial funding for 10 studies.

Minnesota and Texas state legislators passed informed consent legislation earlier this year. Massachusetts is considering similar legislation. Five medical organizations say abortion is one of the causes of breast cancer.


Second Abortion-Cancer Lawsuit in U.S. Successfully Prosecuted

The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer applauds the successful prosecution of a lawsuit against an abortion clinic and a physician for performing an abortion on a 15-year-old girl without informing her of the psychological risks and the increased risk of breast cancer. It is the second abortion-cancer lawsuit to be successfully prosecuted in the U.S. and the first case to obtain a judgment.

All Women's Health Services, a clinic in Portland, Oregon, made an offer of judgment last year. This allows the plaintiff to win the lawsuit without a trial. The judge signed the agreement on January 24, 2005. The amount of the judgment is confidential.

The teenaged plaintiff has a family history of breast cancer and indicated a history of cancer on the clinic intake forms. According to research in 1994 by Janet Daling and her colleagues at Seattle's Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, teenagers with a family history of the disease who procure abortions before age 18 have an incalculably high breast cancer risk.

Abortions that occur before the birth of a first child are the most carcinogenic, a finding supported by biological and epidemiological evidence.

Karen Malec, president of the coalition, was encouraged by the successful prosecution of the case. She remarked, "Women have been told lies about the research and have been cruelly exploited by two industries - the breast cancer fundraising industry and the abortion industry. Women will not receive justice until they file civil lawsuits."

The plaintiff and her attorney, Jonathan Clark, are available for interviews. Clark can be reached at:

O'Donnell and Clark

jonathanc@oandc.com
503/930-9887 (cell)
503/274-1100 (office)

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Also, for Injuries to women, including from abortions, contact:

Women's Injury Network, Inc.
P.O. Box 14977
Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0977
(513) 588-8368

E-mail info@womensinjurynetwork.org
womensinjurynetwork.org/index.htm

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The Coalition on Abortion/Breast Cancer is an international women's organization founded to protect the health and save the lives of women by educating and providing information on abortion as a risk factor for breast cancer.

P..O. Box 957133
Hoffman Estates, IL 60195-3051

Phone Toll Free: 877.803.0102 Local Calls: 847.421.4000
Website www.abortionbreastcancer.com
E-mail response@abortionbreastcancer.com


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