INDIANAPOLIS – This morning, the Indiana Medical Licensing Board found Dr Ulrich Klopfer, a long-standing abortion practitioner, guilty of five of the nine charges brought against him.
The Board suspended his medical licence for a minimum of six months, imposed a fine, and required him to complete certain training if he should ever petition to have his medical licence reinstated.
Klopfer was summoned before the Board due to 1,833 violations of abortion regulations, as documented in an administrative licensing complaint filed in September 2014 by Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, and subsequent charges filed in an amended complaint in January 2016. The testimony presented before the Board spanned over 12 hours.
The Indiana Medical Licensing Board’s decision to suspend Klopfer’s medical licence effectively brings an end to his decades of shameful practices in Indiana, according to Mike Fichter, President and CEO of Indiana Right to Life. “Klopfer has demonstrated a profound lack of regard for women’s health, as evidenced by his failure to adhere to fundamental health standards and straightforward reporting requirements.”
Klopfer is accused of violating the relevant legislation in relation to record-keeping and informed consent in the context of his practice of performing abortions in Gary, South Bend, and Fort Wayne.
The Attorney General’s 2014 complaint alleges that Klopfer submitted 1,818 termination of pregnancy reports containing missing or incorrect information. He failed to submit two termination of pregnancy reports within the requisite three-day period for abortions performed on 13-year-old girls.
Six instances were identified where the requisite informed and voluntary consent was not provided by appropriately credentialed staff. The availability of qualified staff to monitor patients who had received sedation was inadequate. Finally, the complaint alleges that he failed to obtain informed and voluntary consent for seven patients at least 18 hours prior to the abortion procedure.
Among the violations cited by Fichter were the appalling failures to report abortions on time for 13-year-old girls. During the testimony, Klopfer was audacious enough to admit that he had performed an abortion on a 10-year-old girl, 21 weeks pregnant by her uncle, and sent her back home with her parents rather than notify the authorities of the abuse.
Fichter further observed that the outcome was a vindication of their position and a testament to the tenacity of Attorney General Zoeller in pursuing the matter to its conclusion. Klopfer will no longer compromise the health of Hoosier women.
Klopfer operated abortion facilities in Fort Wayne, Gary, and South Bend, Indiana. Since the loss of his legally-required backup doctor with admitting privileges on 31 December 2013, Klopfer has not performed any abortions in Fort Wayne.
In June of 2015, Klopfer relinquished his license to operate the Gary abortion facility and his license to operate the South Bend abortion facility was revoked.
Editor’s note. This update was provided by Indiana Right to Life, NRLC’s state affiliate.
Daniel Miller is responsible for nearly all of National Right to Life News' political writing.
With the election of Donald Trump to the U.S. presidency, Daniel Miller developed a deep obsession with U.S. politics that has never let go of the political scientist. Whether it's the election of Joe Biden, the midterm elections in Congress, the abortion rights debate in the Supreme Court or the mudslinging in the primaries - Daniel Miller is happy to stay up late for you.
Daniel was born and raised in New York. After living in China, working for a news agency and another stint at a major news network, he now lives in Arizona with his two daughters.
