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San Francisco: End False Adverstising from Fake Clinics
  1. Signatures
    1,994 out of 2,000
    Petitioning
    1. San Francisco City Supervisor (+ 9 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (Ross Mirkarimi)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (Jane Kim)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (Sean Elsbernd)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (Scott Wiener)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (John Avalos)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (Eric Mar)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (Mark Farrell)
      • President of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors (David Chiu)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (Carmen Chu)
      • San Francisco City Supervisor (David Campos)
  2. Created By
    Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates
How We Won

Oct 25, 2011

Somer Leon decided that she didn't want one more San Francisco woman tricked by crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). With her volunteer group, the Bay Area Coalition for Our Reproductive Rights (BACORR), Leon launched a campaign on Change.org, calling for truth-in-advertising legislation that would bar these "fake clinics" from claiming non-existent services.

The campaign pointed out that 87% of CPCs mislead or lie to patients, luring in pregnant women with false advertising about offering comprehensive reproductive health care, only to pursue a conservative religious agenda. They lack trained medical personnel, don't provide advertised services, and deceive patients with fabrications about abortion leading to breast cancer, mental illness, and infertility.

The bill passed the local Board of Supervisors with overwhelming support on October 25, 2011. BACORR's petition received credit during a Board for demonstrating significant support for the bill.

BACORR's victory has inspired similar petitions across the country, with individuals asking their local governments to put a stop to deceptive tactics by CPCs and protect women's rights.

Why This Is Important

Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) advertise abortion services, yet offer none and misinform their patients about the risks of birth control and abortions. They operate under deceptive public health practices. According to a Congressional study, 87% of these fake clinics provide inaccurate and misleading information by claiming that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, infertility, drug addiction and mental illnesses - including suicide.

Supervisor Malia Cohen has introduced a bill that makes it illegal for CPCs to falsely advertise pregnancy-related services as abortion services to lure in women and manipulate them. This is a bill about consumer protection and truth-in-advertising.

When passed, this legislation will clarify the services CPCs provide. Women will no longer be tricked into going to these fake clinics nor subject to delayed essential medical care.

Sign this petition to tell the SF Supervisors to stop fake advertising by fake clinics!

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Stop Deceptive Advertising by Fake Clinics

Dear San Francisco City Supervisor,

I am outraged at the false advertising and manipulative tactics used by fake clinics - or Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs) - in San Francisco.
CPCs are deceiving women into visiting these limited service centers only to deny them information or misinform them about abortion and birth control. Women deserve accurate, comprehensive medical care from a knowledgeable, honest professional.

According to a Congressional study, 87% of these fake clinics provide inaccurate and misleading information by claiming that abortion increases the risk of breast cancer, infertility, drug addiction and mental illnesses - including suicide.

Truth-in-advertising bills have been passed in Baltimore, MD and Austin, TX, requiring limited service centers to post signs stating they do not offer birth control information, provide abortions or referrals.

Supervisor Malia Cohen has introduced the Pregnancy Information Disclosure and Protection Ordinance that requires limited service centers to accurately say what services they provide. This bill protects women from false advertising and potential delays in receiving essential medical care.

This measure is about consumer protection and truthful advertising. I ask for your public support and vote for this necessary bill.
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Sincerely,

[Your name]