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Two influential anti-abortion groups called Tuesday for the ouster of NIH Director Francis Collins over his support for fetal tissue research for medical science. Live Action, March for Life and other conservative groups have been frustrated that the Trump administration has not banned research using fetal tissue donated by women who have had abortions. (Ollstein, 12/18)

“Collins’ actions are inconsistent with the pro-life policies of this administration and with the consensus of Americans who oppose entangling taxpayer dollars with abortion. It is time for his departure,” March for Life President Jeanne Mancini said in a statement. "Director Collins must be replaced with someone who recognizes that children who are killed by abortion should be mourned, not experimented on,” Live Action President Lisa Rose said in her group's statement. (Hellmann, 12/18)

The National Institutes of Health pledged Tuesday at a private meeting of scientists who use fetal tissue that the government’s premier funder of biomedical research would continue to support such work despite a conservative broadside against it. The commitment by a senior official of NIH’s National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases to continue funding for researchers who work for nongovernment labs came at the end of a seven-hour meeting with about 40 researchers from around the country, according to two participants. (Goldstein, 12/18)