NIH Ditches Fetal Tissue Funding Amid Trump-Era Ban
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is cutting ties with research that utilizes human fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions, a move that marks the latest chapter in the administration's efforts to restrict such studies. The shift, which takes effect immediately, was announced by NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya as part of an effort to modernize the agency and align its funding priorities with contemporary scientific values.
The ban, which has been years in the making for anti-abortion advocates, follows a similar review process implemented during President Donald Trump's first term. However, this new measure differs from the policy enacted by then-President Joe Biden, who reversed it in 2021. With this decision, the NIH joins an ever-growing list of organizations seeking to reduce its involvement with fetal tissue research.
By abandoning funding for projects utilizing human fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions, the NIH is aiming to redirect resources towards more promising technologies that can better model human health and disease. This shift reflects a broader trend within the scientific community to reevaluate the role of fetal tissue in biomedical research.
Critics argue that the ban on using fetal tissue from abortions will hinder progress in various fields, including diabetes, Alzheimer's, and infertility research. The use of such tissue has already proven instrumental in advancing vaccines for polio, hepatitis A, and other illnesses. While NIH-funded researchers can still access tissue obtained from miscarriages – a less reliable option due to potential abnormalities or difficulties in collection – the preference is to utilize fetal tissue from abortions.
The decision by the NIH marks an emblematic shift within the US scientific landscape, highlighting the complexities of funding priorities and their implications for biomedical research.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is cutting ties with research that utilizes human fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions, a move that marks the latest chapter in the administration's efforts to restrict such studies. The shift, which takes effect immediately, was announced by NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya as part of an effort to modernize the agency and align its funding priorities with contemporary scientific values.
The ban, which has been years in the making for anti-abortion advocates, follows a similar review process implemented during President Donald Trump's first term. However, this new measure differs from the policy enacted by then-President Joe Biden, who reversed it in 2021. With this decision, the NIH joins an ever-growing list of organizations seeking to reduce its involvement with fetal tissue research.
By abandoning funding for projects utilizing human fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions, the NIH is aiming to redirect resources towards more promising technologies that can better model human health and disease. This shift reflects a broader trend within the scientific community to reevaluate the role of fetal tissue in biomedical research.
Critics argue that the ban on using fetal tissue from abortions will hinder progress in various fields, including diabetes, Alzheimer's, and infertility research. The use of such tissue has already proven instrumental in advancing vaccines for polio, hepatitis A, and other illnesses. While NIH-funded researchers can still access tissue obtained from miscarriages – a less reliable option due to potential abnormalities or difficulties in collection – the preference is to utilize fetal tissue from abortions.
The decision by the NIH marks an emblematic shift within the US scientific landscape, highlighting the complexities of funding priorities and their implications for biomedical research.
I'm low-key shocked that the NIH is cutting ties with fetal tissue research 
Like, what's next? Are we gonna ditch stem cell research too? 
But at the same time, I get why they're doing it 
All those lives...but like, can't we just find alternative methods that don't involve taking human life? 
I'm all for modernizing and moving forward, but this feels like a step backward 
Maybe it's just me, but I think this ban is gonna hurt the most vulnerable people - those suffering from these diseases 
. dont get me wrong, i believe in embracin life, but theres also so much good that can come from studyin human biology and developin new treatments 
. cant we just find alternative methods for research thats not based on fetal tissue? 
... meanwhile, researchers are stuck between a rock and a hard place, tryin to make progress without access to what could be lifesavin data 
I get why they want to modernize, but isn't there still a way to find alternative tissues that can be just as good? 
And what about all the research already done using fetal tissue... does it all have to be thrown out the window now? 
. I mean, who needs to study human development when you can play with mouse cells all day? 
It's not like they're gonna stop at fetal tissue... maybe next thing you know they'll be saying goodbye to organ transplants 
.
diabetes is another one that affects tons of people too 
I'm kinda surprised they're ditching the fetal tissue funding now... it's like, not like we haven't been over this before 
. And can we not just use the miscarriage tissue as an alternative instead of abandoning it entirely? 
I mean, I guess progress is progress, but sometimes I wish we'd take a more nuanced approach to these things 
. Anyway, I'm gonna keep an eye on this one 
...