Fetal Tissue Research and Trafficking

 

Rep. Bill Caul, H.B. 4334

Rep. John Moolenaar, H.B. 4335

 

Current Status

H.B. 4334 and 4335 were introduced by Rep. Caul and Rep. Moolenaar on 2/28/07. This legislation would prohibit researchers from using tissue obtained from aborted fetuses for research, as well as prohibits the buying and selling, or transferring of aborted fetal tissue for any research purposes.

Background

Currently, it is illegal in the state of Michigan to use live embryos or fetuses for research that would take their lives. It is also illegal to do human cloning experimentation in Michigan. However, the law allows the use of tissue from abortions to be used for research purposes as long as the signed consent of the mother has been obtained. 

H.B. 4334 would ban researchers in Michigan from using tissue that is taken from aborted children in their research. The bill would still allow mothers experiencing miscarriages to choose to donate the child's remains for pathological research purposes. Experimentation in the past that has used tissue from aborted fetuses in an attempt to cure diseases in adults have proved disastrous.  In an experiment done on patients with Parkinson's disease, in which aborted fetal tissue was injected into the brains of subjects, the injected tissue caused the patients to have more severe conditions than they originally had. This research is not only immoral, it is dangerous.

H.B. 4335 will prevent the sale and distribution of fetal tissue and body parts. Some claim that they only collect a "processing fee" to transfer the tissue from abortion clinics to researchers.

History

H.B. 4675 and 4676 were introduced on 4/26/05 by Rep. Bill Caul and Rep. John Moolenaar. Both bills were referred to the House Health Policy Committee but never received a hearing

Sen. Cameron Brown introduced S.B. 9 on 1/12/05 and during the previous session introduced S.B. 249 on 3/4/03; neither ever received a hearing. When Cameron Brown served as a Representative in the House, he introduced H.B. 5578 on 1/29/02. The bill was referred to the House Committee on Health Policy where it never received a hearing. This bill would have banned researchers in Michigan from using tissue that is taken from aborted children in their research.