NCER’s Carol Szczepaniak Interviewed on Spirit Radio – February 20, 2026
Because human life has intrinsic dignity from the moment of conception to natural death, the creation and destruction of embryos and fetuses is morally unethical.
As conveyed by the AMA Code of Ethics and the Belmont Principles, physicians/researchers must pursue the most morally licit course of action among available clinical options.
In January 2026, the NIH announced that NO NIH funds (grants and contracts) may be used nationwide for federally supported research involving “newly obtained human fetal tissue from elective abortions.”
Historically, fetal tissue has primarily been used for vaccine development, HIV, and Immune system research (where alternatives exist but are not preferred).
- What are the practical implications of this NIH decision and how does it affect the pro-life movement?
- Previously funded projects using aborted fetal tissue must now be terminated, find private funding OR find alternative sources of appropriate living tissue.
- Tissue from miscarriage or stillbirth are still ethically acceptable.
- Unfortunately, established cell lines originally derived from aborted fetal tissue years ago may STILL be used.
- Major POSITIVE Shift: The NIH will enthusiastically fund use of alternative ethical sources. These sources have been replacing fetal tissue in research for years.
- This is a WIN for Pro-Life! It will stop the horrific procurement of aborted fetal tissue with NIH taxpayer money. It will provide impetus for more use and development of alternative moral options.
- What ethical alternatives (meaning NO embryo creation or destruction) are available to allow for the continuation of medical research without using aborted fetal tissue?
- Umbilical Cord: Blood Stem Cells.
- Placental Tissue: donated after birth.
- iPSC-derived Models: (Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells, adult stem cells ex. from bone marrow): Can be Patient-specific; Pluripotent (ability to become any type of tissue).
- Organoids: (Mini-Organs); Not viable, from adult stem cells (iPSCs), they are 3D tissue models of human Lung, Liver, Intestine, Brain (potentially questionable ethics due to sentience). Used for disease modeling, drug testing, studying Developmental Biology.
- Humanized animals: Genetically modified organs created using cord blood or iPSCs; placed into rats for investigation of Immune, neuro, and infectious diseases (different from Chimera Research).
- Synthetic Biology: Including non-heritable CRISPR gene editing, “Organ-on-Chip” systems, and AI computer modeling.
- Specifically, how does this development affect research in the state of Nebraska compared to other states?
- UNMC receives $95 M from the NIH for research every year (total budget $229). The rest is funded by the DOD, CDC, NSF, HHS, the State of Nebraska, Private Pharmaceutical industry trials, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, endowments, and philanthropy.
- UNMC must now use alternative ethical sources such as miscarriage tissue, cord-blood cells and placental tissue, Adult Stem Cells (iPSCs), iPSC Organoids, ethically humanized animals, and Synthetic Biology.
- Compared to California and Massachusetts (national stem cell leaders), Nebraska’s UNMC does not operate a vast embryonic stem cell derivation program. Therefore, it is relatively untouched by the new NIH ban on use of aborted fetal tissue.
WHY? Because the citizens of Nebraska speak out and stand up for BIOETHICS and the sanctity of human life!
Summary:
Due to its historical strengths in biomedical, translational science (research lab to clinical treatment), Nebraska’s UNMC has a unique opportunity to LEAD the US in the expansion of adult iPSC, Organoid, and Cord Blood research, while maintaining competitiveness within an ethical environment. This could include becoming a national leader in 1) cord blood stem cell banking, 2) iPSC production and banking, 3) patient-derived organoid testing for cancer, immunology, and regenerative medicine.
Tell your politicians and the UNMC Regents that you will support them only if they support NO EMBRYO DESTRUCTION. NO ABORTED FETAL TISSUE PROCUREMENT. Only Ethical Regenerative Medicine!
University of Nebraska Board of Regents, Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege Street, Lincoln, NE. 68583-0745
Phone 402-472-3906 Email: corpsec@nebraska.edu
Resources:
- The Ethics of Fetal Research: Catholic Perspective, 2022
https://www.cbhd.org/cbhd-resources/the-ethics-of-fetal-tissue-research-catholic-perspective
- HHS Bars Using Fetal Human Tissue from Elective Abortions, 2026
- Scientists Decry NIH Pledge to End Some Human Fetal Tissue Research