IPPF welcomes Dr. Leana Wen as the new president of Planned Parenthood Federation of America

I am absolutely delighted that Dr. Leana Wen has been appointed as President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America.

Dr. Wen is a dynamic public health leader, a practising physician and not least, a formidable woman. As the first doctor to lead Planned Parenthood in nearly 50 years, we send a clear sign that sexual and reproductive healthcare is an essential part of healthcare.

This exciting appointment comes at a critical time for Planned Parenthood. Not only will Dr. Wen help Planned Parenthood continue to provide high-quality care to the people who need it across the United States, she will be a powerful voice in our fight to ensure women have the ability to make their own healthcare decisions. 

Dr. Wen has dedicated her career to expanding access to healthcare for the most vulnerable communities, reducing health disparities, and finding innovative solutions to address public health problems. She currently serves as the Commissioner of Health for the City of Baltimore.

Over the last 18 months, Dr. Wen has fought to protect women and families in Baltimore from the Trump administration’s rollbacks of basic healthcare protections. In March 2018, on behalf of Dr. Wen and the Baltimore City Health Department, the City of Baltimore sued the Trump administration for cutting funds for adolescent pregnancy prevention, which resulted in a federal judge ordering the restoration of $5 million in grant funding to two Baltimore-based adolescent pregnancy prevention programmes. She has also fought the Trump administration changes to Title X — the nation’s family planning programme — to protect funding for 23 health clinics in Baltimore providing reproductive health care for women with low-incomes.

As a practising physician, Dr. Wen has helped organize thousands of doctors and health professionals against President Trump’s proposed domestic gag rule, saying it fundamentally alters the nature of the doctor-patient relationship and will dramatically reduce the quality of care for thousands of women.

“For more than 100 years, no organization has done more for women’s health than Planned Parenthood, and I’m truly honored to be named its president,” said Dr. Leana Wen.

 “As a patient, I depended on Planned Parenthood for medical care at various times in my own life, and as a public health leader, I have seen first-hand the lifesaving work it does for our most vulnerable communities. As a doctor, I will ensure we continue to provide high-quality health care, including the full range of reproductive care, and will fight with everything I have to protect the access of millions of patients who rely on Planned Parenthood.” - Dr Leana Wen

On behalf of the IPPF family, I want to welcome Dr Wen to the Federation and I’m very much looking forward to working with her when she joins PPFA in November.

-  Dr Alvaro Bermejo, Director-General, IPPF