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BIRMINGHAM, AL, April 11, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Life Legal Defense Foundation is urging the Alabama Department of Public Health to permanently shut down the unlicensed New Woman, All Women abortion clinic in Birmingham and revoke the medical license of Bruce Norman, who is still performing abortions there in spite of a health department closure of the site.

In March 2012, the Alabama Department of Public Health shut down the clinic and obtained signed consent agreement from all involved parties.

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A year later, on March 28, Allison K. Aranda, Senior Staff Counsel at Life Legal Defense Foundation, sent a letter to Brian Hale, Deputy General Counsel at the Alabama Department of Public Health. In it, she outlined the facts of the case for immediate closure:

  • Bruce Norman is prohibited from performing any abortions at the Birmingham clinic by previous order of the health department
     
  • Because Norman has knowingly been an employee of an unlicensed facility, under state law his license should be revoked, permanently prohibiting him providing any medical services in Alabama.
     
  • Clinic owner Diane Derzis was banned from operating the facility. 
     
  • The clinic was closed by the health department in March of 2012 for numerous cited deficiencies, for which no proof of remedy has been offered.
     
  • Derzis has ignored her obligations under the agreement as a business owner and should be enjoined from operating a business in Alabama.
     
  • Derzis has maintained the website and voicemail that both advertise that the clinic provides abortions, in defiance of the clinic's forced closure last year.

Life Legal Defense Foundation has requested that the Alabama Department of Public Health enforce its own rules by issuing an emergency administrative order of closure against the illegal clinic. The law provides that Derzis' and Norman's deliberate and perpetual violations are grounds for this illicit facility to be forcibly closed.

Aranda stated, “What is particularly troubling in this matter is Derzis' and Norman's blatant disregard for the law. Derzis and Norman have scoffed at the terms of the consent agreement and persist in putting the lives of women at risk. Further, Derzis has deceived the public into thinking that New Woman All Women is a licensed abortion clinic.”

You may read the full text of LLDF's letter to the Alabama Department of Public Health here.