Abstinence Clearinghouse

News from the biased research file:
by Dr. J.A.
[12.13.2006]

Oh what a difference 2 years and a new job makes for Dr. Santelli.

Oh what a difference 2 years and a new job makes.

In 2004, Dr. John Santelli worked for the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, National Center for Health Statistics, and National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Using results from two highly recognized government studies, Santelli and his research team at the CDC (not a friend of abstinence education, but highly respected as a fair source for scientific studies) looked at teen sexual activity and pregnancy from 1991 through 2001 and determined that 53% of the drop in teen pregnancy could be contributed to increased abstinence.

In 2006, Dr. John Santelli now works for the Alan Guttmacher Institute (AGI). AGI began as the research division of Planned Parenthood. AGI is an out spoken opponent of abstinence education and sexual responsibility. Dr. John Santelli, now paid by AGI, repeated his earlier research using different parameters and different years – 1995 to 2002. Now, in AGI sponsored “research,” it appears that as little as 0% of the drop in teen pregnancy can be attributed to increased teen abstinence.

Ethical scientists are supposed to be unbiased and objective in their pursuit of the truth. Of course, responsible, ethical science can be trumped by the old adage “Don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

Has Dr. Santelli decided to put ethical scientific research aside to please his new masters? Looks like AGI has a new pet. Good boy, Dr. Santelli, you didn’t bite the hand that feeds you.