Ben Carson admits he used aborted fetus tissue for medical research in the 90s but maintains it is in no way comparable to actions of Planned Parenthood
- Republican candidate used to aborted fetuses in research in 1992
- Has come amidst his calls to strip Planned Parenthood of funding
- The GOP hopeful defended his research on the campaign trail
- Claimed it would be 'foolish' for someone not to use the available tissue
Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson has defended using aborted fetuses for medical research - even though he has slammed Planned Parenthood for a similar practice.
The neurosurgeon conducted research in 1992 using two fetuses aborted in the ninth and 17th week of gestation, but insists it does contradict his pro-life stance.
He has also claimed it does not go against his call to take away funding from the embattled organisation, which has been under intense since undercover videos of staff members discussing the use of fetuses in scientific research surfaced.
Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson (pictured on Thursday on the campaign trail in New Hampshire) has defended using aborted fetuses for medical research
On the campaign trail in New Hampshire on Thursday, he told CNN: 'We have banked material in the pathology lab from people from every age - from day one of concept to 120 years old.
'Those specimens are available for people who want to do comparisons.
'To not use the tissue that is in a tissue bank, regardless of where it comes from, would be foolish. Why would anybody not do that?'
He continued by saying: 'There is absolutely no contradiction between the research I worked on in 1992 and my pro-life views.
'The issue of fetal tissue has everything to do with how the tissue is acquired. My primary responsibility in that research was operating on people to obtain diseased tissue for comparison to banked tissue samples.
'Killing babies and harvesting tissue for sale is very different than taking a dead specimen and keeping a record of it, which is exactly the source of the tissue used in our research
When speaking to Fox News about Planned Parenthood, he said: 'At 17 weeks, you’ve got a nice little nose and little fingers and hands and the heart’s beating.
The neurosurgeon (pictured with supporters in Hooksett, New Hampshire) claims his passed practice does not conflict with his pro-life stance and does not contradict with calls to strip Planned Parenthood of funding
'It can respond to environmental stimulus. How can you believe that that’s just a[n] irrelevant mass of cells? That’s what they want you to believe, when in fact it is a human being.'
Dr Jen Gunter, an obstetrician-gynecologist, strongly condemned the GOP hopeful in her blog.
She said: 'As a neurosurgeon Dr. Ben Carson knows full well that fetal tissue is essential for medical research.
'His discipline would have a hard time being were it is today without that kind of work.
'What is even more egregious than dismissing the multitude of researchers whose work allowed him to become a neurosurgeon is the hypocrisy of actually having done that research himself while spouting off about its supposed worthlessness.'
Carson had previously told CNN that organs and tissue from aborted fetuses aren't needed for medical research.
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