US Government Bans Use of Aborted Fetal Tissue in NIH-Funded Research
The Trump administration has announced a policy change that effectively bans the use of human fetal tissue derived from abortions in research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a move long advocated for by anti-abortion groups. The new restriction, which takes effect immediately, expands on previous rules implemented during President Donald Trump's first term.
In reality, the NIH has been funding research involving fetal tissue for decades, despite its contentious nature. However, opponents of such use argue that alternatives are now readily available to overcome this hurdle. Researchers claim that adequate substitutes often do not exist in certain cases, rendering it a critical component for groundbreaking studies on HIV and cancer.
According to Jay Bhattacharya, director of the NIH, "the agency has long maintained policies governing the responsible and limited use of human fetal tissue in biomedical research." The shift marks a significant decline from 2019, when only 77 projects funded by the $47 billion agency included fetal tissue. This recent change is part of a broader trend that started during Trump's first term.
It's worth noting that while the policy applies to all NIH-funded research, it does not completely halt the use of "cell lines" created from fetal cells years ago. These cloned copies of cells can be grown continuously in labs and will likely continue to be used in some form. The NIH has announced plans to seek comment on potential ways to reduce or potentially replace reliance on human embryonic stem cells.
The Trump administration has announced a policy change that effectively bans the use of human fetal tissue derived from abortions in research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a move long advocated for by anti-abortion groups. The new restriction, which takes effect immediately, expands on previous rules implemented during President Donald Trump's first term.
In reality, the NIH has been funding research involving fetal tissue for decades, despite its contentious nature. However, opponents of such use argue that alternatives are now readily available to overcome this hurdle. Researchers claim that adequate substitutes often do not exist in certain cases, rendering it a critical component for groundbreaking studies on HIV and cancer.
According to Jay Bhattacharya, director of the NIH, "the agency has long maintained policies governing the responsible and limited use of human fetal tissue in biomedical research." The shift marks a significant decline from 2019, when only 77 projects funded by the $47 billion agency included fetal tissue. This recent change is part of a broader trend that started during Trump's first term.
It's worth noting that while the policy applies to all NIH-funded research, it does not completely halt the use of "cell lines" created from fetal cells years ago. These cloned copies of cells can be grown continuously in labs and will likely continue to be used in some form. The NIH has announced plans to seek comment on potential ways to reduce or potentially replace reliance on human embryonic stem cells.
, but I gotta say it's kinda ironic that they're only banning the use of fetal tissue now that the science is getting better 
. Like, remember those HIV and cancer studies? Those were some game-changers in their own right! And what about the ethics of using cell lines created from years ago? That's still a bit weird for me 
. I get where they're coming from, but can't we just have more options now instead of being forced into alternatives that might not even work?
And what about all the HIV and cancer studies that are gonna get messed up because of this new rule? 
Do you think it's actually gonna make a difference or is it just another example of politicians trying to control everything? 
the fact that more than half of nih funded projects were already excluding fetal tissue is mind blown - it's like they've been working towards this all along 
and it feels like we're just kicking the can down the road by getting rid of cell lines that already exist 
still, i guess it's a step in the right direction? 
... can't we just accept that humans are messed up from conception and move on? I mean, I'm all for alternatives but some of these studies are literally lifesavers 
. What's the point of havin a vaccine if it doesn't work because we couldn't get it from human tissue? It's like sayin "oh no, let's just give everyone meningitis instead" 
... not exactly the kind of progress I want to see in science. And btw, who's gonna foot the bill for all these new alternative research methods? 
... don't they have any other options? 
... now it's gonna make things even harder for scientists who wanna push the boundaries of medicine 
... this feels like a major step back 
... what about all those 'what ifs' that these new rules are gonna leave us with? 
. Can't they just make an exception for really important research? 
" 
. it's like they thought the NIH would magically come up with some alternative solution 
. I know some scientists say alternatives are available but let's be real, they're not always reliable & the research on HIV & cancer is literally life-saving stuff 
. can't have us sacrificing progress just to appease a few people's moral compasses 
. I mean, alternatives are great and all, but in some cases, they just don't exist or aren't as effective. It's frustrating because researchers have to be so careful about using this stuff, and it's not like they can just go ahead and use whatever they want 
I'm all for responsible research, but this ban just feels like a step in the wrong direction 
.