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

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.

The Trump administration announced a new policy on Thursday prohibiting the use of human fetal tissue derived from abortions in research funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This expands restrictions implemented during Trump's first term, which were later lifted by the Biden administration. While the NIH has funded research involving fetal tissue for decades, its use has declined since 2019, with only 77 projects using it in 2024. According to the NIH, this policy does not end the use of existing fetal cell lines. The NIH will also seek input on ways to reduce or replace reliance on human embryonic stem cells.