Anyone who viewed the stomach-churning videos in 2015, from undercover reporting by David Daleiden and colleagues, were exposed to the horrific truths about trafficking in aborted baby body parts and awakened to the inhumane science taking place under the guise of “fetal tissue research.”
Defenders of the gruesome experiments claimed that aborted fetal tissue was essential, uniquely able to be used in research, and would produce lifesaving therapies. The unethical nature of such research—the fact that it requires an ongoing slaughter of preborn babies—was brushed aside. Unborn babies paid the price for proponents’ willfully ignoring objective facts in hopes of gaining taxpayer dollars.
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The scientific claims were nothing more than flimsy fairy tales. Indeed, after one-hundred years of transplant attempts with fetal tissue, not a single cure has resulted.
The vacuous scientific claims for aborted fetal tissue research have been amply refuted in Congressional hearings, scientific papers, and popular press articles. A comprehensive review of the science, ethics, and alternatives regarding aborted fetal tissue makes it abundantly clear that such research is a failure. Funding this unmitigated disaster with more taxpayer dollars is not only a moral trespass but also diverts funds from valid scientific research that truly helps patients.
In June 2019, the Trump administration cancelled a large fetal tissue research contract, placed limits on taxpayer funding for such research, and instituted review of fetal tissue grant proposals by an Ethics Advisory Board. In August 2020 that Board reviewed 14 grant proposals for research with aborted fetal tissue, and rejected all but one for ethical reasons.
Despite the public whines of fetal tissue research proponents on the committee, the unethical nature of the research was clear even to them—over one-third of the votes to reject were either unanimous or with only one vote of support. Clearly the research was deemed to violate ethics.
Not long after taking office, however, the Biden Administration abruptly discarded all restrictions on human fetal tissue research funding, cancelled any further reviews by the Ethics Advisory Board, and disbanded the Board.
Then-HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said he had “determined that there were no new ethical issues that require special review.”
Now with the new Trump administration, there is movement to remove this blight on science and taxpayers and stop federal funding of aborted fetal tissue research. NIH is reportedly moving to reject renewal of 17 grants totaling $22 million. NIH is reported to have sent an email around stating:
“NIH takes this issue very seriously and remains committed to the highest ethical standards in research. The referenced grants, initiated under the Biden administration, will not be renewed. NIH is guided by a commitment to valuing human life and ensuring that federally funded research is conducted responsibly and transparently. We are actively renewing these matters and will take all necessary steps to ensure our policies reflect that commitment.”
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. pledged the end of funding for aborted fetal tissue research during his confirmation hearings. “Stem cell research today can be done on umbilical cords and you don’t need fetal tissue,” he said. When asked by Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO) “will you reinstate President Trump’s policy that ensures that no federal research and no federal tax dollars is conducted on fetal tissue taken from elective abortions?,” Kennedy replied with a simple “Yes”
Adding to the momentum to stop this unethical trafficking in aborted baby body parts, the House Labor Health and Human Services Appropriations Committee has directed in the current funding bill that no more taxpayer funds be used for aborted human fetal tissue research.
A worthy substitute, H.R. 5160, the Stem Cell Therapeutic and Research Reauthorization Act of 2025, a bipartisan legislation led by Rep. Chris Smith and Rep. Doris Matsui, will provide continued funding for adult stem cell treatments for thousands of people.
Physicians rely upon adult stem cells from these donors to provide transplants that can cure or treat their patients of more than 75 life-threatening diseases or conditions.
It will be good to see an end to antiquated, gruesome research and trafficking of baby body parts. The nation’s medical research should be focused on ethical, proven, lifesaving science.
LifeNews Note: Dr. Prentice has almost 50 years’ experience as a scientific researcher, professor, academic leader, and policy advisor. He established Stem Cell Research Facts, an educational website about adult stem cells. One of his current projects is as a Founding Member of SALT, the Science Alliance for Life and Technology, scientists and policy experts dedicated to serve as a unique resource on the science and ethics of nascent human life.
