In a decisive move, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has banned the use of aborted fetal tissue in all agency-funded research, effective immediately as of Thursday, January 22, 2026.

The policy, announced just one day before the annual March for Life event in Washington, D.C., prohibits NIH funding for projects involving fetal tissue from elective abortions while still permitting funding for tissue from miscarriages or stillbirths.

This ban, first reported by the Daily Wire, applies to NIH grants, cooperative agreements, transaction awards, research and development contracts, and the NIH Intramural Research Program. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya clarified the policy in an interview with Daily Wire founder Ben Shapiro, emphasizing its targeted scope.

Policy Shift Marks Major Change

For decades, such tissue has been utilized in scientific studies, contributing to advancements like vaccines for hepatitis A, chickenpox, and shingles, as well as research on HIV, the Daily Caller reported.

NIH itself noted that federally funded projects using human fetal tissue have dwindled in recent years, with only 77 such projects in Fiscal Year 2024.

The agency argues that modern alternatives like organoids, tissue chips, and computational biology offer robust substitutes for outdated methods. It’s a claim that invites scrutiny—can these tools truly match the historical impact of fetal tissue research?

Jay Bhattacharya, in a post on X dated January 22, 2026, framed the decision as forward-thinking. “Science moves forward. Our policies should too,” he declared. But let’s unpack that—moving forward shouldn’t mean abandoning values that define a nation’s conscience.

Ethical Concerns Drive NIH Decision

Bhattacharya also told Ben Shapiro that the policy remains narrow, allowing donations from miscarriages. “Someone who has had a miscarriage and wants to do a meaningful thing and they donate the tissue from the miscarriage to science, that’s still allowed,” he explained. It’s a compassionate carve-out, but one that doesn’t fully address the deeper unease many feel about past practices.

For years, critics have raised alarms over organizations like Planned Parenthood, accused of profiting from the sale of aborted tissue—a charge that fuels distrust. Bhattacharya echoed concerns from pro-life and Catholic leaders, calling such actions “morally abhorrent” in his interview. It’s hard to argue with the sentiment when public trust in medical ethics hangs in the balance.

Historically, fetal tissue research dates back roughly a century, a long-standing practice now under intense reevaluation.

This isn’t the first time restrictions have been imposed—back in 2019, President Donald Trump limited its use in NIH intramural research and added ethics reviews for external applications. The Biden administration eased those rules in 2021, but this latest move cuts deeper, severing all NIH funding for aborted tissue research.

Broader Implications for Funding Policies

The timing of this ban, right before the March for Life, sends a clear signal to supporters who gather annually to protest abortion. A photo from the 2025 event shows marchers in Washington, D.C., voicing their stance—a reminder of the passionate base behind this cause. Policies like this resonate with those who’ve long sought alignment between federal funding and their deeply held beliefs.

This NIH decision also ties into wider efforts to curb funding for Planned Parenthood, as seen in the Big Beautiful Bill, which slashes Medicaid payments to the organization for one year. It’s a multi-front approach to redirect taxpayer dollars away from entities tied to controversial practices. The question remains—will this set a precedent for other federal agencies?

Some may argue that scientific progress is being stifled by this ban, pointing to past breakthroughs tied to fetal tissue.

But with NIH’s own data showing a decline in such projects, and new technologies on the rise, the counterargument holds weight—innovation doesn’t need to come at the expense of ethics.