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

The Guardian - World NewsEN 2 min read 100% complete by Carter ShermanJanuary 22, 2026 at 11:25 PM

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The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has ceased funding research using human fetal tissue obtained from elective abortions, effective immediately. This reverses a policy implemented by President Biden in 2021 and reinstates a ban initially put in place during the Trump administration. The NIH director stated the decision aims to modernize the agency by investing in alternative technologies for modeling human health and disease. While research using fetal tissue from miscarriages is still permitted, scientists often prefer tissue from elective abortions due to its higher quality and availability. In fiscal year 2024, the NIH directed almost $60 million to 77 projects involving fetal tissue from abortions, which has been used in research for diseases like diabetes and in the development of vaccines.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Joe Biden 50% Jay Bhattacharya ×260% Donald Trump ×270% United States 70% National Institutes of Health ×490%

Keywords

fetal tissue research 100% nih funding 90% abortion 80% biomedical research 70% miscarriage 60% trump administration 50% vaccine development 50% ethical considerations 40%