The coalition statement expresses strong support from a broad array of scientific, medical, and patient advocacy organizations for the continued use of human fetal tissue (HFT) in biomedical research. The statement underscores the critical role HFT has played in enabling significant scientific and clinical advances, including the development of vital vaccines (such as those for polio, rubella, and measles) and therapies for diseases like cystic fibrosis and hemophilia, as well as breakthroughs in preventing HIV transmission and advancing research into conditions such as ALS and Parkinson’s disease. Despite emerging alternative methods, the coalition maintains that HFT possesses unique biological properties that make it irreplaceable for certain areas of research, including the study of human development, disease modeling, and validation of new therapeutics and model systems.
The document also emphasizes the rigorous ethical and legal oversight that governs HFT research, including requirements for informed consent and prohibitions on profiteering. The coalition asserts that continued access to HFT is essential for advancing medical knowledge and the development of urgently needed treatments. The statement is collectively endorsed by numerous prominent institutions, universities, medical societies, and advocacy groups, highlighting a unified position within the biomedical community that responsible research use of HFT remains vital to ongoing and future scientific and medical progress.
