Remarks by HHS Deputy Secretary at March for Life Action Breakfast
It’s great to be here today, and I want to express my appreciation for your dedication to such an important cause.
The March for Life unites individuals who value human dignity, ethical medicine, and the responsibilities associated with science and governance. I’d like to take a moment to discuss how public policy can embody these values—thoughtfully and with a clear commitment to human life.
At the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), our goal is to ensure that federal health policy operates on a fundamental principle: science should support people, not the other way around. This principle shapes our work in areas like biomedical research, global health, pediatric care, and organ donation.
This week, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) informed stakeholders that federal funds can no longer be utilized for research involving human fetal tissue acquired from elective abortions. This policy will apply both to NIH-led research and to projects supported by NIH at external laboratories, covering new grants, renewals, and ongoing work using that tissue.
Additionally, Secretary Robert F. Kennedy has announced plans to extend this prohibition to all divisions within HHS. The intent is to apply consistent regulations to all grants, contracts, and programs managed by the Department.
NIH is also exploring public opinions on whether to halt the acceptance of new human embryonic stem cell lines for its registry. Given recent scientific advancements, embryonic stem cells may be becoming less relevant. The feedback will help guide a potential shift away from reliance on these cells towards more ethical research methods. I encourage everyone to voice their thoughts on this critical matter.
This initiative is about modernizing scientific research—not just in terms of techniques but also in terms of how we prioritize respect for human life. We need to ensure our ethical standards keep pace with scientific advancements.
HHS has also reaffirmed its commitment to the Geneva Consensus Declaration. Under the second Trump administration, the U.S. is partnering with global allies who believe in the inherent dignity of every human being. Moreover, we uphold the idea that nations should define their own health policies without international pressure and firmly state that there is no human right to abortion.
Unlike organizations that attempt to redefine human rights, we choose to affirm and maintain them.
In global health, clarity is essential. When international entities blur the distinctions between care and coercion, or between support and political influence, trust diminishes. By re-aligning with the Geneva Consensus, the U.S. is indicating its commitment to supporting families through health systems that respect life and cultural values.
HHS is also committed to recognizing human dignity in our approach to procedures related to gender identity for minors.
Males are males; females are females. This basic truth seems to be ignored by some who promote the notion that gender can be altered, especially to the most vulnerable among us—our children.
A report from last year highlighted, through extensive peer reviews, that gender-altering procedures for minors do not produce measurable improvements in their lives. HHS has ceased to endorse such transgender procedures for minors, and we recently declared the intention to withdraw federal funds from hospitals performing these procedures. Young individuals experiencing gender dysphoria deserve compassion and support, not invasive medical interventions that may lead to regret later in life.
Affirming human dignity means acknowledging that children are not experimental subjects and should not be subject to ideological pressures or shortsighted medical choices. We must ensure that mental health support and family-centered care are prioritized.
In another area, our Office of Refugee Resettlement intends to modify the rules regarding abortion services for unaccompanied minors in federal custody. The updates could reduce federal involvement in abortion services for these vulnerable children.
Our objective is clear: protect children from harm, offer families accurate information, and ensure that medicine adheres to its foremost duty—to do no harm.
Furthermore, HHS is reforming the organ procurement system. Donation saves lives, but the system must earn public confidence.
In recent months, we have implemented reforms aimed at enhancing oversight, transparency, and effectiveness within organ procurement organizations. Our goal is to treat every potential organ donation with the utmost care, ensure honest outcome measurements, and address the needs of patients awaiting transplants with urgency and respect.
This approach honors both donors and their families, and it’s vital to maintain the integrity of a system based on altruism.
Across all these areas—ethical research, global cooperation, pediatric health, and organ donation—a common theme emerges: respect for human dignity and recognition of the inherent worth in every individual.
The pro-life movement has long asserted that respect for life should be ingrained not just in beliefs but also in institutions. This argument resonates because it addresses a wider concern: many Americans feel systems have drifted from their ethical roots. Reforming these systems is not about reverting to the past; it’s about applying modern approaches to time-honored principles.
Under the Trump administration, HHS is devoted to maintaining transparency, utilizing top-tier scientific practices, and grounding our work in moral clarity.
Thank you for your advocacy, involvement, and for holding institutions accountable. I look forward to collaborating with all of you on this important work.
