The National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that it will not renew over 12 grants for research involving human fetal tissue, following a report by Breitbart News about a government audit of taxpayer-funded projects.
The White Coat Waste Project (WCW) found that the NIH is currently funding 17 projects categorized under “human fetal tissue.” These studies seem to have been approved by the Biden administration and are projected to continue into the next year. Breitbart News’s investigation ties into a Republican initiative aiming to include measures in the 2026 funding bill related to human fetal tissue sourced from abortions.
The NIH replied to Breitbart’s inquiry on Wednesday, indicating that it is “actively reviewing” its policies.
“NIH takes this issue very seriously and is committed to the highest ethical standards in research. Grants initiated under the Biden administration will not be renewed,” the agency mentioned in an email. “NIH is dedicated to evaluating human life and ensuring that federally funded research is both responsible and transparent. We will thoroughly consider these matters and proceed accordingly,” it added.
During President Donald Trump’s administration in 2019, new funding for fetal tissue projects was prohibited, and NIH ceased all in-house studies involving previously used fetal tissue. According to WCW, this policy did not cancel ongoing projects but led to a significant 50% reduction in previous funding for fetal tissue research.
When the Biden administration, known for its strong pro-abortion stance, took office in 2021, the NIH reversed the Trump-era decision that cut taxpayer funding for experimental research utilizing fetal tissue from discontinued pregnancies.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., now HHS secretary, had promised during his Senate confirmation hearing to reinstate the funding ban if Trump was re-elected.
The 17 ongoing grants have received approximately $22 million in total, as noted by WCW, which contributes to 2024 funding. This organization describes itself as a “bipartisan government watchdog” aimed at exposing and curbing the government’s $20 billion animal testing expenditure.
WCW highlighted that several grants fund experiments involving the implantation of fetal tissue into animals, including HIV-related studies. One grant details the process of implanting human fetal tissue into mice.
“Human fetal tissue was obtained from advanced bioscience resources or cellular allocation services, acquired without any identifying information and didn’t need IRB approval for its application,” states the “Research Approval” section of the experiment.
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This particular study elaborates on how humanized bone marrow-liver-thymus (BLT) NSG mice were created and how human fetal liver-derived CD34 cells were sourced. These cells were isolated by immunomagnetic separation… on the day of implantation… into the mice… where they underwent CD34 transplantation… and tissue was placed under the kidney sac.
Another study discusses how mice were used to create humanized BLT mice based on procedures from the UCLA Humanized Mouse Core Laboratory.
“The human fetal thymus and liver were sourced from advanced biological science resources (ABR),” the study indicates. “Fetal tissue was obtained without patient identification, and written informed consent was secured from the patient for its research utilization.”
While waiting for regulatory measures, Republican lawmakers are taking steps to limit funding for research involving human fetal tissue from abortions. On September 9th, the House Budget Committee’s FY26 NIH Expenditure Bill proposes restricting all research using human fetal tissue sourced from induced abortions. It states: “Funds provided in this Act cannot be used to conduct or support research using human fetal tissue if such tissue was obtained in connection with an induced abortion.”
Rep. Robert Onder (R-MO) introduced a bill in March titled “Protection of Life and Integrity in the 2025 Research Act,” which also seeks to prohibit the federal government from engaging in or supporting research involving fetal tissue obtained from abortions.
