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Pocan, Schakowsky & DelBene Applaud Biden Reversal on Fetal Tissue Ban

April 16, 2021

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Representatives Mark Pocan (WI-02), Suzan DelBene (WA-01), and Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), released the following statement in response to the Biden administration's reversal of some Trump-era prohibitions on the use of fetal tissue in biomedical research.

"We applaud the Biden administration and Secretary Xavier Becerra for prioritizing science and reversing the Trump administration's arbitrary barriers to both extramural and intramural researchers on the use of fetal tissue in scientific research," said the lawmakers. "This week, we led dozens of our colleagues in requesting this reversal— underscoring the immense value that fetal tissue research adds to advancing scientific and medical knowledge. The use of fetal tissue in scientific research has been crucial for medical advancements in the treatment and study of hemophilia, cystic fibrosis, Zika, HIV, ALS, Parkinson's disease, and even COVID-19. During a time when our country necessitates recovery that prioritizes science over politics, this is an integral step towards protecting the advancements of our scientific community. See the full letter Representatives Pocan, DelBene, and Schakowsky sent this week to Secretary Xavier Becerra this here.

Issues:Education