The document is a formal letter addressed to Secretary Alex Azar of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, jointly authored by numerous leading scientific, medical, and patient advocacy organizations. The letter voices strong opposition to the HHS policies announced on June 5, 2019, which place new restrictions on research involving human fetal tissue. The signatories argue that these policies would create substantial obstacles to crucial biomedical research, delaying or preventing the development of therapies for a wide array of serious diseases. They emphasize the clinically proven value of fetal tissue research, which has been instrumental in the creation of life-saving vaccines and treatments, and highlight its irreplaceability due to its unique biological properties, which cannot be wholly substituted by cell lines, organoids, or tissue from spontaneous abortions.
The letter contends that the existing ethical and regulatory frameworks governing fetal tissue research are rigorous and effective, providing robust oversight including donor consent, informed risk disclosure, and prohibitions against profit. The new policies are seen as adding unnecessary layers of review and bureaucracy, risking significant delays in medical progress and potentially causing researchers to abandon promising medical advances. The authors urge Secretary Azar to recognize the scientific and ethical integrity of current practices and reconsider the imposed restrictions to avoid undermining research critical to public health and the treatment of disease. They conclude by reaffirming their commitment to ethical research and the collective interest in advancing treatments that may benefit all patients.
