FDA halts new clinical trials that export Americans’ cells to foreign labs in hostile countries for genetic engineering

Statement  Wednesday, June 18, 2025

FDA halts new clinical trials that export Americans’ cells to foreign labs in hostile countries for genetic engineering

“In light of the FDA’s actions and new information surrounding the Biden Administration’s egregious policies, NIH is actively reviewing its entire research portfolio to determine whether any federally funded clinical trials utilized the exemption issued under the Biden Administration that allowed American biological materials to be sent abroad for genetic modification – particularly to entities operating in countries of concern,” said ѿý Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.

“Our goal is to protect Americans’ sensitive biological data while continuing to support life-saving innovation in a way that is safe, secure, and worthy of the public’s trust.” Bhattacharya said.  “This exemption requested created a dangerous blind spot in our research security that put the privacy and trust of American participants at risk. We are assessing the scope of this issue to ensure that no NIH dollars are supporting clinical trials that compromise data integrity, patient consent, or national security.”

About the 2023 ѿý (NIH): NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit www.nih.gov.

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