Trump’s Health Department Considers Gutting $100 Million in Lifesaving Research While Taking Advice from Anti-Abortion Interest Group
11.14.18 – According to Politico — and despite strong objections from the scientific and medical community — Alex Azar’s Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is considering discontinuing more than $100 million in research projects involving fetal tissue while soliciting input on plans from the anti-abortion interest group Susan B Anthony (SBA) List.
This isn’t the first time Azar’s HHS has been hamstrung by SBA List and the anti-abortion lobby on fetal tissue research funding: in late September, Azar abruptly cancelled a long-standing contract with a fetal tissue provider while also announcing “a comprehensive review” of all fetal tissue research and procurement.
In addition to holding extreme and out-of-touch views on abortion — including advocating for abortion bans without an exception for rape and incest — SBA List also promotes the work of the man who originated the idea that a woman’s body protects her from getting pregnant after rape.
Said Mary Alice Carter, Executive Director of Equity Forward:
“The fact that Secretary Azar is taking his cues on medical research from an anti-abortion group with ties to the man who gave Todd Akin the idea for “legitimate rape” is terrifying.
“Azar has continually painted himself as a no-nonsense technocrat, yet he continually kowtows to anti-abortion interest groups while ignoring the scientific and medical communities time and time again. That Azar is willing to put the health and lives of millions at risk by denying them access to the best possible scientific research to score a few political points is alarming. Our nation’s health department should be protecting our health, not rolling back medical and scientific advances.”
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