NAF supports fetal tissue donation for humanitarian and medical research.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, July 15, 2015
CONTACT:
Alissa Manzoeillo
202.667.5881, ext 219; 202.595.4395 (after hours/cell)
amanzoeillo@prochoice.org
STATEMENT BY VICKI SAPORTA, PRESIDENT AND CEO OF THE NATIONAL ABORTION FEDERATION:
The National Abortion Federation supports fetal tissue donation for humanitarian and medical research. This research has the potential to help millions of Americans suffering from diabetes, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, muscular dystrophy, leukemia, and other serious medical conditions.
Many women seeking safe, legal abortion care appreciate the opportunity to further medical research through tissue donation. NAF strongly supports the enforcement of established laws and regulations designed to protect the rights of women who wish to make a legal fetal tissue donation. These laws and regulations ensure the ethical collection and donation of tissue. There is no financial gain for women or health care providers involved.
We also support those providers and facilities that participate in legal tissue donation. Women and abortion providers will continue to legally and appropriately donate and collect fetal tissue to advance medical research and find cures for debilitating diseases.
Medical progress should not be impeded by those whose agenda is to demonize abortion providers and make abortion care inaccessible for women. We cannot allow underhanded, misleading tactics by anti-abortion extremists to stigmatize life-saving medical research. Scientific research, with its potential to save millions of lives, and health care access should not be derailed by anti-abortion politics.
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NAF is the professional association of abortion providers. Our members include private and non-profit clinics, Planned Parenthood affiliates, women’s health centers, physicians’ offices, and hospitals who together care for more than half the women who choose abortion in the U.S. and Canada each year. Our members also include public hospitals and both public and private clinics in Mexico City and private clinics in Colombia.