The ISSCR Urges HHS to Reject Ethics Advisory Board Recommendations on Fetal Tissue Research

The ISSCR and a coalition of nearly 80 scientific, medical, and patient organizations urged HHS today to reject the Ethics Advisory Board's recommendations to block all but one study using human fetal tissue.

Among other points, the letter states, "Given the unbalanced composition of the Ethics Advisory Board, we are concerned that the final report reflects a pre-determined objective that is impeding promising biomedical research that has the potential to save lives and reduce human suffering."

In addition to the blatant imbalance in the composition of the Ethics Advisory Board--one-third of the board's members are affiliated with a special interest group that advocates against using fetal tissue for research and have no expertise or standing in the scientific community--the letter stresses the lack of patient representation and dearth of explanation, which prevents public scrutiny of the rationale behind their decisions.

Read the letter.