Daines was referring to multiple physicians’ claims that Pitt’s statements “point to the possibility” that organs were “extracted from live fetuses.” That was based on statements the university made about minimizing ischemia time, which refers to “the time after the tissue collection procedure and before cooling for storage and transport.”
The university’s application to NIH also prompted lawmakers to question whether the university had violated fetal tissue trafficking laws as part of its federally funded “GUDMAP” research program. In applying for NIH funds, Pitt said it sought to “develop a pipeline to the acquisition, quality control and distribution of human genitourinary [urinary and genital organs and functions] samples obtained throughout development (6-42 weeks gestation).”
So far, the university has denied any wrongdoing and claimed it played no role in medical procedures. It’s unclear, however, why the university made comments about ischemia time and obtaining quality tissue.
Hellbound and Down 