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The Trump administration announced Thursday that human fetal tissue from abortions can no longer be used in U.S. government-funded research. National Institutes of Health.
The policy, long urged by anti-abortion groups, expands on restrictions issued during President Donald Trump’s first term.
Governments have funded research involving fetal tissue for decades republican and democracy Administration. These tissues, which would otherwise be thrown away, are critical to some research, including how to fight HIV and cancer. Opponents of using fetal tissue say alternatives are now available, although many scientists say there are not always adequate alternatives.
NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya acknowledged in a statement Thursday that the agency “has long maintained a policy of responsible and limited use of human fetal tissue in biomedical research.”
Its usage has declined since 2019. The $47 billion agency counted just 77 projects funded in 2024 that included fetal tissue.
The first Trump administration ended the use of fetal tissue on NIH campuses and created additional barriers for nongovernmental scientists seeking NIH funding, restrictions that the Biden administration has subsequently lifted. Thursday’s new policy covers all research funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The NIH document says the policy does not end the use of “cell lines” created years ago from fetal cells. These are cloned copies of cells, such as embryonic stem cells, suitable for continued growth in the laboratory. Bhattacharya’s statement said the NIH would soon seek advice on potential approaches to “reduce or potentially replace reliance on human embryonic stem cells.”
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