Most Members of Federal Fetal Tissue Ethics Panel Oppose Abortion

The members of a new advisory board to the NIH met for the first time and will weigh in on federal funding for grants that rely on donated tissue from abortions.

Written byLisa Winter

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Update (August 19): The panel has rejected 13 of the 14 proposals it has considered thus far, The Washington Post reports.

More than a year after the Department of Health and Human Services announced the creation of the National Institutes of Health Human Fetal Tissue Research Ethics Advisory Board, members of the committee convened for the first time on Friday (July 31) to oversee the ethics of using fetal tissue in federally funded research. Of the 15 committee members, appointed by President Donald Trump, 10 have a history of activism against abortion or fetal tissue use. As Buzzfeed News reports, some researchers have voiced concerns that the panel could impair future research on HIV, diabetes, COVID-19 vaccines, and more.

The board’s purpose is to review research grant proposals that study human fetal tissue (HFT) and advise that they receive funding only if no adequate alternatives exist ...

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Meet the Author

Lisa Winter
Lisa joined The Scientist in 2017. As social media editor, some of her duties include creating content, managing interactions, and developing strategies for the brand’s social media presence. She also contributes to the News & Opinion section of the website. Lisa holds a degree in Biological Sciences with a concentration in genetics, cell, and developmental biology from Arizona State University and has worked in science communication since 2012.
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