Trump's White House to end human foetal tissue research despite pleas from scientists

Foetal tissue is fundamental for research into HIV and childhood cancers, scientists say

Donald Trump’s administration has announced it will end government medical research using human foetal tissue, despite scientists saying it’s the only way to study certain health phenomena.

Research using foetal tissue that otherwise would be discarded has been funded by the government, under leadership of both political parties, for decades — and has led to lifesaving advances including development of vaccines for rubella and rabies, and drugs for the HIV virus.

Officials said government-sponsored research by universities will be allowed to continue, however, subject to additional scrutiny.

But ongoing research at the National Institutes of Health involving foetal tissue from elective abortions would not be allowed to proceed.

The policy change will not affect privately-funded research that uses human foetal tissue.

"Promoting the dignity of human life from conception to natural death is one of the very top priorities of President Trump's administration," the Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement.

Ending the use of human foetal tissue is a priority for antiabortion activists — a core element of Mr Trump's political base.

The president casts himself as "strongly pro-life," and his administration has taken many steps to restrict access to abortion, which remains a legal medical procedure.

Mr Trump has nominated federal judges who oppose abortion, attempted to cut funding for Planned Parenthood, and expanded legal protection for medical providers who object to abortion.

Critics argue that modern science has alternatives to replace fetal tissue in the laboratory, such as using tissue from infants who undergo heart surgery or stem cells that grow into organ-like clumps in lab dishes.

But leading scientific groups say there still are conditions where foetal tissue is the best, or even the only, option to get clear answers to some devastating disorders — because those substitutes don't act the same as tissue from the exact developmental stage that needs to be studied.

The Associated Press contributed to this report