Another day, another pro-life rule from the Trump administration rescinded. On Friday, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), announced an "Update on Changes to NIH Requirements Regarding Proposed Human Fetal Tissue Research." In other words, aborted fetal parts can now be experimented on in the name of "research," using taxpayer funds. The Trump administration had enacted a ban in 2019.
The Washington Post's Amy Goldstein reported on Thursday that "Biden administration poised to change Trump restrictions on fetal tissue research." Becerra's opposition to the rule under the Trump administration came up:
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told Capitol Hill lawmakers Thursday that the National Institutes of Health would make an announcement about what he characterized as a fetal tissue ban.
Becerra did not disclose details of the imminent policy shift. Still he made clear, as he has before, that he opposes the research-restricting rules President Donald Trump established in 2019 at the urging of abortion foes and other social conservatives crucial to the president’s political base.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra told Capitol Hill lawmakers Thursday that the National Institutes of Health would make an announcement about what he characterized as a fetal tissue ban.
Becerra did not disclose details of the imminent policy shift. Still he made clear, as he has before, that he opposes the research-restricting rules President Donald Trump established in 2019 at the urging of abortion foes and other social conservatives crucial to the president’s political base.
Understandably, the decision was a devastating blow for the pro-life movement, though it's not surprising. "Under the Biden administration, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra wastes no time in pushing forward the radical abortion agenda," March for Life tweeted.
Under the Biden administration, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra wastes no time in pushing forward the radical abortion agenda.
— March for Life (@March_for_Life) April 16, 2021
The HHS should be promoting the dignity of human life, instead of further violating the bodies of children lost to abortion.https://t.co/WTRiFlJf8H
SICK: Pro-Abortion HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra is leading a push to ramp up experiments using body parts taken from babies killed by abortions -- and forcing taxpayers to be complicit
— Susan B. Anthony List (@SBAList) April 16, 2021
Full statement: https://t.co/PpiEhihHAm pic.twitter.com/XHWegh3tta
Susan B. Anthony List released a statement on Friday, which contains statements from their president, as well as the senior fellow and director of life sciences at Charlotte Lozier Institute, their research arm.
“Biden and Harris, working hand-in-glove with radical appointees like Xavier Becerra, are moving rapidly to pay back their abortion industry allies and wipe out pro-life progress made under the Trump-Pence administration,” said SBA List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. “From day one they have sought to expand abortion on demand, funded by taxpayers, against the will of the strong majority of Americans. Now they would force Americans to be complicit in barbaric experiments using body parts harvested from innocent children killed in abortions, with no limits of any kind. Pro-abortion Democrats push this deeply unpopular agenda at their own political peril.”
From Dr. Tara Sander Lee, senior fellow and director of life sciences at Charlotte Lozier Institute:
“The HHS decision to resume experiments using the body parts of aborted children defies both the best ethics and most promising science. Exploiting the bodies of these young human beings is unnecessary and grotesque. Fetal tissue was not, and has never been, used for polio or any other vaccine, nor to produce or manufacture any pharmaceutical. There are superior and ethical alternatives available such as adult stem cell models being used by countless scientists worldwide to develop and produce advanced medicines treating patients now, without exploitation of any innocent life. All scientists should reject the administration’s attempts to prey on fears related to the pandemic to advance the practice of harvesting fetal tissue.”
The Charlotte Lozier Institute has educated on bioethics topics, which includes promoting adult stem cells. CLI's David Prentice, Ph.D. and Tara Sander Lee, Ph.D., also released a comment, which included a link to further, thoroughly-researched comments:
HHS issued a Federal Register notice of a proposed rule to amend certain regulatory provisions in order to strengthen safeguards and program integrity requirements applicable to extramural research involving human fetal tissue from elective abortions. On February 12, 2021, the Charlotte Lozier Institute submitted an extensively referenced formal comment regarding the proposed rule to the Office of the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services.
Here is our response: Comment-HHS Proposed Rule Fetal Tissue Regulations-Charlotte Lozier Institute.
President Biden’s newly-appointed HHS secretary, Xavier Becerra, has a radical pro-abortion record and history of prosecuting pro-life organizations and supporters that defend the lives of the unborn. Secretary Becerra will open the floodgates to federal taxpayer funding and trafficking of baby body parts. His actions are reckless, dangerous and harmful to innocent unborn life.
Stem Cell Research Facts, a project of CLI, was established by Dr. Prentice.
Are the pro-lifers who voted to elect President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris listening? What do they have to say for themselves now? I hate to say I told you say, but I told you so.