SAINT LOUIS — In a letter today, Sen. Jamilah Nasheed (D-St. Louis) called on MU Health Care to “stop playing politics with women’s lives” by reversing the decision it made last week to eliminate the “refer and follow” privileges provided to a physician at the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic.

MU’s decision will effectively prevent Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri from offering abortion services in Columbia beginning December 1, because state law requires abortion providers to have privileges through a hospital within 15 minutes driving time and/or 30 miles of the clinic in question.

“This is a political stunt that flies in the face of the missions of both MU Health Care and the University, at-large,” wrote Nasheed. “While this decision may score you points with a small group of loud extremists today, your actions have far reaching consequences for the futures of a much larger segment of our state’s population.”

Nasheed continued, “The University should be above politics, and instead focus on bettering our state through education, research, and medicine. If it is unprepared to do so, know that I intend to use my position on the Senate Appropriations Committee to examine ways to redirect funds to other organizations that are.”

The full letter, which was addressed to MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin, MU President Timothy M. Wolfe and Mitch Wasden, CEO & COO of MU Health Care can be viewed at this link, ww.jamilahnasheed.com/mizzou_letter.