Key Dates

Related Announcements

• April, 16, 2021 - Update on Changes to NIH Requirements Regarding Proposed Human Fetal Tissue Research. See Notice NOT-OD-21-111. 
• July 26, 2019 - Changes to NIH Requirements Regarding Proposed Human Fetal Tissue Research. See Notice NOT-OD-19-128.
• February 11, 2016 - NIH Policy on Informed Consent for Human Fetal Tissue Research. See Notice NOT-OD-16-033.
• August 14, 2015 - Reminder of Legal Requirements Regarding the Acquisition and Use of Human Fetal Tissue for Research Purposes. See Notice NOT-OD-15-143.

Issued by

NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH)

Purpose

NIH is updating its current policy on the use of human fetal tissue (herein referred to as HFT) in biomedical research. This Notice, effective on the date of its publication, supersedes Guide Notices NOT-OD-21-111 and NOT-OD-19-128.

Background

NIH has long maintained policies governing the responsible and limited use of human fetal tissue in biomedical research. However, NIH supported research using human fetal tissue has been in sharp decline since 2019, with only 77 projects supported in Fiscal Year 2024. Accordingly, NIH is prioritizing limited resources towards biomedical research models with more relevance to today’s rapidly evolving research ecosystem.

Applicability

Effective the date of this Notice, NIH funds will not be permitted for research using HFT from elective abortions. This Policy applies to the NIH Intramural Research Program and all extramural research including competitive applications for grants and cooperative agreements, other transaction awards, and R&D contract proposals submitted to solicitations issued after the effective date of this Notice.

For currently funded research projects, organizations may rebudget released funds to support research under the same project that is not unallowable under this Policy. This Notice supersedes the previous HFT research requirements outlined in NOT-OD-19-128 and NOT-OD-21-111.

NIH funds are permitted for use of research involving HFT obtained from miscarriage or stillbirth, which remain subject to requirements outlined in NOT-OD-15-143 and NOT-OD-16-033.

Definition

For the purposes of the requirements of this notice, research involving HFT is defined as in the NIH Grants Policy Statement, Section 4.1.14.2, Non-Transplantation Research on Human Fetal Tissue from Elective Abortions. This definition implements the statute (42 U.S.C. Chapter 6A, Subchapter III, Part H, Sec. 289). 

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

NIH Office of Science Policy

[email protected]