The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced an end to its support for research utilizing human fetal tissue, effective immediately. The decision, revealed by NIH chief Jay Bhattacharya, cites both budgetary concerns and the purported advancement of “validated alternative technologies.”
Shift in Funding Priorities
The NIH, with a nearly $48-billion budget, allocated $53 million in 2025 to 77 projects dependent on human fetal tissues. These ranged from HIV studies to regenerative medicine and developmental biology investigations. However, going forward, existing grants will remain intact, but funds cannot be reallocated for experiments involving the tissues themselves. According to HHS press secretary Emily Hilliard, NIH funds are now prohibited for research using tissue derived from elective abortions.
This decision effectively forces a segregation of research: labs like that of UCLA’s Jerome Zack, who relies heavily on fetal tissue for critical studies, will need to isolate these projects from other NIH-funded work. Zack emphasizes the lack of viable alternatives, stating, “There is some science you simply can’t do without these tissues.” Funding for such work remains uncertain, creating a significant impediment for ongoing research.
The Scientific Debate
Human fetal tissues, obtained from elective abortions or stillbirths, have been foundational in medical research for decades. Researchers use these cells to develop vaccines, model diseases, and study early human development. While the NIH allows funding for tissue from miscarriages or stillbirths, these sources are often inadequate for rigorous scientific inquiry.
The move immediately sparked controversy, with scientists arguing this is a politically motivated decision rather than a scientifically justified one. Lawrence Goldstein of UC San Diego points out, “If you want to understand disease during fetal stages, you need the real thing as controls and guidance.” The lack of fetal tissue will hinder research into diseases that originate in the womb, where real-world fetal tissue is the most accurate model.
A History of Political Interference
This is not the first time federal funding for fetal tissue research has been restricted. The George W. Bush administration imposed similar limitations on embryonic stem cell research, and the first Trump administration faced backlash over biomedical research involving fetal tissue. A review board stacked with abortion opponents effectively blocked nearly all existing proposals in 2020. President Biden reversed these restrictions in 2021, but the current NIH decision signals a return to previous constraints.
The move has been lauded by anti-abortion groups like Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, while scientists argue it prioritizes politics over scientific progress. Health policy expert Alicia Ely Amin notes that the NIH is again placing political considerations ahead of scientific expertise, despite an existing consensus that fetal tissue should only be used when no adequate substitute exists and under strict ethical guidelines.
The long-term implications remain unclear, but this decision will undoubtedly slow or halt critical research, potentially delaying advances in medicine and disease treatment.
