NIH approves 70 new human embryonic stem cell lines for use in federally funded research

NCER Comments:

New human embryonic stem cell (hESC) lines created in an Israeli medical center have just been approved by the acting NIH director, Francis Collins for use in federally funded research in the Unites States. While federal funding for the creation of new embryonic cell lines is banned, private funding is still legal, and use of these 70 new stem cell lines in research is not prohibited.

NCER does not support research in, and …

Scientists Edited Human Embryos in the Lab, and It Was a Disaster

NCER Comments:

The Francis Crick Institute used the tool CRISPR to edit genes in human embryos, leading to disastrous results. Over 50% of the edited embryos had countless unintended edits to their genomes which would lead to birth defects and disease, precisely what this research is attempting to prevent. This is not news, as these uncontrollable “mosaic” results have been seen in previous studies. Human DNA is extremely complicated, and the CRISPR tool is a …

The Appalling Price of Unborn Babies’ Body Parts

NCER Comments:

Between 2012 and 2018, the FDA paid just under $100,000 for “fresh and never frozen” aborted fetal tissue from Planned Parenthood to be used in research. Currently, federal law still allows for the sale (without profit) of aborted fetal parts. The term “fresh” refers to the fact that when possible, aborted fetuses are dissected while still alive to obtain their organs and tissue. This tissue was then used by the FDA to create …