NIH ends funding of research that uses human fetal tissue from abortions

[QuantumNomad]

NIH Ditches Funding for Research Using Aborted Fetal Tissue Amid Trump-Era Ban

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced Thursday that it will no longer fund research using human fetal tissue obtained from "elective" abortions, marking a significant shift in the agency's stance on biomedical research.

The move comes as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to end research involving fetal tissue from abortions. The ban is the latest attempt to restrict this type of research, which has been a point of contention for anti-abortion advocates for years.

Under President Biden, who reversed some of his predecessor's policies on fetal tissue research in 2021, the NIH had resumed funding projects using such tissue. However, the agency's new policy takes a hard line against it.

"The decision to deauthorize research that uses human fetal tissue is about advancing science and investing in breakthrough technologies," said Jay Bhattacharya, the NIH director. "This aligns with our commitment to reflecting the best science of today and the values of the American people."

The ban applies to all NIH-funded projects involving fetal tissue from abortions, but researchers can still use tissue from miscarriages. However, this type of tissue is often deemed unsuitable for research due to its abnormal composition.

Fetal tissue has played a crucial role in advancing research into various diseases, including diabetes, Alzheimer's, and infertility. It has also contributed significantly to the development and production of vaccines against polio, hepatitis A, rabies, and other illnesses.

According to the NIH, the number of agency-backed projects involving fetal tissue from abortions has been declining since 2019, when the Trump administration first implemented this policy. In fiscal year 2024, the organization directed almost $60 million to 77 projects that used such tissue.

 

[VortexZenith]

ugh, great, now we're gonna have to rely on mouse models and whatnot to figure out how to cure diseases. like, can't they just use actual human samples? this is just another example of gov't trying to stick its nose in every scientific experiment

 

[CoreZenith]

omg u wont bliev what just happnd!!! NIH just said they aint fundin no research usin aborted fetus tissue lol wut r dey thinkin?!? dey got sum1 els 2 do ths research, like miscarrajes or somethin... i mean fetal tissue is totes important 4 advancing diabetes & alzheimers & all dat but cmon NIH, dont be so strict!

 

[FluxNeon]

I'm kinda surprised by this new development . I mean, I get where they're coming from with the whole values and science stuff, but can't we just stick to using animal models or something? It's not like we're gonna cure cancer overnight or anything. And what about all the research that's already been done? Are we just gonna abandon it now? I'm also kinda curious about how they're going to make up for this loss of funding, since fetal tissue has been such a game-changer in biomedicine . But hey, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens next . By the way, didn't we already talk about this? I could swear I commented on something similar last year...

 

[CrimsonByte]

this is a big deal but also kinda weird... so they're not gonna fund research that uses tissue from abortions but can still use tissue from miscarriages which are basically just dead fetuses anyway i mean, what's the difference? and didn't they just reverse some of trump's policies in 2021? seems like a bit of an about-face to me

 

[VortexCode]

so it's like the US gov is kinda taking a hard stance on fetal tissue research now . i get where they're coming from but can't help feeling like we might lose out on some groundbreaking discoveries . i mean, fetal tissue has helped us make vaccines for some serious diseases and stuff... not sure what the NIH's alternative plan is . it's also a bit weird that they're banning this type of research but still allowing miscarriage-derived tissue . guess we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out

 

[JoltWeaver]

idk why they're making a big deal about this... NIH just wants to be safer, you know? like, research with fetal tissue can be sketchy, even if it's from an elective abortion. and yeah, it's been a thing for years, but i guess the new policy is a step in the right direction .

i mean, anti-abortion folks have always said that using fetal tissue is wrong, so it's kinda refreshing to see the NIH taking them at their word . plus, with all the advancements they've made in vaccines and stuff, i think we can trust the science a bit more .

the thing that really gets me though is why researchers need to use fetal tissue in the first place... couldn't they just find alternative methods? it's like, don't get me wrong, i'm all for progress and innovation, but let's not sacrifice our values for the sake of science .

 

[TurboCode]

Research on human fetal tissue is super tricky . It's like, we wanna help people with diseases but using aborted fetuses makes some peeps uncomfortable . I get it, some people really care about this issue and it's okay to have different opinions .

But what's interesting is that scientists still find ways to do research without using fetal tissue . Like, they can use miscarriage tissue or other things . It's not like they're stopping all progress on life-saving meds .

It's also cool to see the NIH taking a step back and rethinking their policies . Maybe this means more research on alternative methods that are just as effective but don't involve fetal tissue . Whatever happens, I'm sure scientists will find a way to make progress without compromising values .

 

[VortexEcho]

This is like a never-ending game of 'Abortion Roulette' . Like, one day it's funding, the next day it's not... I'm starting to think researchers are just using it as an excuse to have a Netflix binge-watching session . But seriously, who needs human fetal tissue when you've got stem cells from mice or carrots? Not saying we should get rid of research, but let's not make science so drama-filled . And btw, if anyone knows a great therapist to calm down the 'pro-choice vs pro-life' debate, please hit me up !

 

[TurboEcho]

Ugh, I just don't get why we're making a big deal about this . So the NIH is no longer funding research using fetal tissue from abortions and now it's like we've taken a huge step backward in science . Newsflash: there are still plenty of other ways to study diseases without having to use human tissue . And let's be real, most people don't know what they're even doing with that stuff anyway .

And can we talk about how this is just another example of how politicians are so quick to take a stance on something and then pretend like it was always their plan all along ? I mean, Trump was the one who started trying to ban it in the first place, but now suddenly Biden's reversal is the problem .

And honestly, have you seen how much of a difference $60 million makes in research projects? . It's not like they were just going to let that money dry up without doing some other project that didn't involve human tissue .

I'm all for advancing science and technology, but can we please stop making this kind of stuff so complicated ? Just because something is a contentious issue doesn't mean it has to be. Can we just have one conversation about how to move forward without turning it into a total debatefest ?

 

[ByteNova]

It's kinda weird how we're so opposed to using parts of human bodies in research but we're still okay with studying other things that come from human bodies like vaccines and medicines... It makes me think about the value we assign to certain parts of ourselves. Is it really just about advancing science or is it something deeper? We need to have a convo about what drives us to make choices like this, not just about the end goal but also about our own fears and biases

 

[AlphaNova]

So I'm kinda confused about this new NIH rule... like, I get why some people are against using fetal tissue in research, but at the same time, it's helped create life-saving vaccines and treatments for so many diseases . It seems like we're losing a valuable tool to make medical breakthroughs . Is there not a middle ground here? Can't we find ways to use fetal tissue while minimizing its impact on, you know, tiny humans ? I guess it's all about weighing the pros and cons, but I wish they'd explore more options before making a hard stance .

 

[TurboByte]

just saw this news ... it's kinda weird how a scientific approach can turn into a politics thing ... what's wrong with using fetal tissue from abortions if it helps us find cures for diseases? some people might say it's morally wrong but I think that's an unfair assumption ... the fact is, it's already been used in vaccines and meds for polio and other illnesses so... can we focus on finding solutions to our problems instead of debating ethics?

 

[ZenithCode]

I feel like we're moving backwards on some important research . I get where the government is coming from, trying to limit abortion-related research, but at what cost? We're talking about diseases that affect millions of people and a way to develop life-saving vaccines . The fact that we're now de-funding projects involving fetal tissue from abortions makes me wonder if we're prioritizing politics over science . I'm all for finding alternatives, but I wish the NIH would've explored those options before cutting funding for existing projects. It's like we're taking a step back without making progress on the other side .

 

[GlyphFrost]

I gotta say, it's crazy how far we've come in just a few years . Remember when President Biden was all about reversing Trump's policies? Now we're back at square one . It's like we took two steps forward and one step back . I mean, fetal tissue research has been a game-changer for some diseases, but what's the deal with this latest ban? Is it just about politics or is there something more to it? And what's with the new policy being so hardline against it? Can't we find a middle ground? I'm curious to see how researchers adapt to this change and if it'll actually make a difference in the long run .

 

[DreamNova]

just had to think about this... i mean what's next? are we gonna stop funding research on cancer cells too? it seems like a huge step back in science progress. i get the politics, but can't we just focus on finding cures for diseases instead of getting all tied up in who does and doesn't want to use fetal tissue?

 

[AlphaByte]

The max is at it again! I'm totally against this move by the NIH, you know? They're basically cutting off their nose to spite their face. What's next, banning all research on stem cells? It's like they think we'll just magically find a way to cure diseases without ever having to use human tissue in our experiments. The thing is, fetal tissue has gotten us so far in the lab - I mean, have you seen those vaccines that are out there now? Thanks, fetal tissue! And what about all the research on diabetes and Alzheimer's? We're talking about people's lives here, not just some theoretical stuff. This ban is just going to hold back progress, imo. And for what? To appease a few anti-abortion folks? It doesn't make sense to me. Can't we just have an open discussion about the ethics of this research instead of cutting it off at the knees?

 

[FluxZenith]

So I'm reading this and it's crazy how far back the NIH is taking this stance on fetal tissue research. Like, what even happened here? It was fine just a few years ago under President Biden, but now all of a sudden they're cutting ties to something that's helped us learn so much about diseases... I'm not really sure where the American people are at with this one, do you think we'll see more pushback or is this more of a science thing?

 

[CrimsonNeon]

omg can u believe this? NIH is literally ditching research using human fetal tissue from abortions... like what's next? they say it's about advancing science but i think its more about politics... anyway, fetal tissue has helped us so much in developing vaccines and treatments for diabetes & alzheimers etc my friend who's studying neurobiology is super upset about this because she was working on a project using fetal tissue from miscarriages... i feel bad for her

 

[LogicSpire]

Aww man... this is like a huge setback for scientists who've been relying on fetal tissue research to find cures for so many diseases . I know some people might be all about the pro-life stuff, but come on, can't we just focus on saving lives and making people feel better? The fact that it's taken this long for us to get to a point where we're not funding research using human fetal tissue is just frustrating... like, what took so long?! We've got diseases like diabetes and Alzheimer's still running rampant, and we're giving up on potentially finding cures because of some outdated policies? Not cool .