The National Institutes of Health announced it would end support for research using fetal human tissue, a policy shift critics call political rather than scientific. The termination affects existing and planned projects that rely on fetal tissue models for infectious disease research and immunology, prompting concern from academic investigators and some patient advocates. In response to broader political changes, lawmakers introduced legislation aimed at insulating NIH from politicization and preserving scientific integrity. The proposed 'Follow the Science'‑style measures seek to codify protections for research decision‑making and maintain peer review independence. Why it matters: changes to NIH funding priorities and structure can immediately alter research pipelines, grant portfolios, and biotech collaborations, particularly in areas—such as infectious disease, transplant biology and developmental immunology—where fetal tissue remains a core model system. Companies partnering with academic labs should reassess program risk and contingency plans.