Colorado State University – Just one of many using fetal tissue in research

When the first undercover Planned Parenthood video was released, most people, previously ignorant of what actually happened behind the scenes in an abortion clinic, discovered the market for fetal parts. One place that clearly wasn’t surprised was Colorado State University (CSU). As LifeNews reports:

On January 10, 2013, Colorado State University purchased fetal body parts from Planned Parenthood’s flagship abortion facility in San Jose, California via a company called StemExpress.  In total, nine specimens were harvested from eight different aborted babies killed in abortions at that Planned Parenthood clinic and the purchase order reveals CSU bought two body parts, including an aborted baby’s liver.

At the time, StemExpress paid Planned Parenthood $50 per specimen, which means that in one day they received $450. Additionally, Stem Express harvested body parts from Planned Parenthood facilities in Fresno, Sacramento and Stockton.

While CSU tried to deny their involvement in the practice, LifeNews uncovered a packing slip showing the transaction with the University and StemExpress.

This is par for the course with universities, even if some want to deflect from it in light of the recent bad press. Fetal cell research in itself has an entire line of funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This NIH list contains the current cell lines available for research projects, and many universities are on the list multiple times. Beyond embryonic stem cells is fetal tissue research, which the NIH also provides information about using. This link contains the current NIH fetal tissue project links. For purposes of research, tissue is the term used to encompass fetal parts as well. Lest anyone be surprised by this, the American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB) provides this Q&A on using fetal tissue in research. It’s curious that CSU would even try to deny this practice when it’s commonplace for large research universities. It’s probably more a case of not wanting people to shine light on it in the same frame as the exposed darkness of Planned Parenthood. But LifeNews highlights this research article that a CSU researcher published, discussing the use of fetal tissue:

Human fetal thymic and liver tissues (16–22 weeks gestation) are dissected into 1 mm fragments and introduced together by the use of a trochar under the left kidney capsule of anesthetized mice. Each of the mice is later injected (i/v, tail vein) with 2.5×105 autologous CD34 þ HSC purified from the remaining fetal liver.

What has been exposed with Planned Parenthood is actually a large industry that most people never have occasion to discover. The major newsflash, unfortunately, is to the women who checked a box to “donate blood and/or tissue” from the abortion and are now discovering their baby had more value dead than alive. Planned Parenthood need not fear the Center for Medical Progress as much as it may need to fear some angry and heartbroken moms who feel layers of deception.