Traffic Light Guide to Charities

Many people want to support charities which do not go against their pro-life values. This updated guide has been prepared to help you in deciding which charities you would like to support.

The Traffic Light Guide includes only the stated or known stance and activities of the charities listed. The following ranking system is used to score the charities:

  • Lupus UK

    Green

    Lupus is an incurable immune system illness, probably genetic in origin and mainly suffered by females. It can affect any part of the body. In a letter dated 7/12/2018 the CEO of Lupus wrote that the question of human embryo experimentation “has never arisen, certainly in the 18 years I have been with LUPUS UK. To the best of my knowledge LUPUS UK has never funded this type of research and as such has no policy in the regard. What I cannot say is whether the organisations we support do this type of research that tends to be Universities linked with large hospitals.”

  • Lymphoma Action

    Green

    Lymphoma Action stated in a letter dated 14/2/2019: “Lymphoma Action is a charity that provides information and support for people affected by lymphoma through a variety of services including a helpline, educational events and information provision in many different formats.
    “As such we do not undertake or fund any clinical medical research, drug development or human embryo experimentation, nor do we intend to as our current remit/primary purpose is solely as a support and information organisation.”

  • Macmillan Cancer Support

    Amber

    In a letter dated 7/12/2018, this organisation stated: “…here at Macmillan we don’t actually do any research into cancer, nor do we have any policies on assisted death or support any organizations that do. We are here to support people living with cancer find the best way through and live life as fully as they can.” [#AMRC#]

  • Macular Society

    Red

    A letter dated 4/1/2019 enclosed this charity’s “Stem Cell statement”, which states: “The Macular Society believes that stem cell research has the potential to bring great benefit to people with macular conditions. It therefore supports the use of all types of stem cells including embryonic, adult and induced pluripotent stem cells.” [#AMRC#]

  • Marie Curie

    Amber

    In a letter dated 17/12/2018, this charity stated: “As an organisation providing care, we are not seeking a change in the law to permit euthanasia or physician assisted suicide. As such, any money raised through donations would not go towards campaigns to promote assisted dying.”
    A statement on the Marie Curie website includes the following on Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment:
    “As part of our commitment to good end of life care we support the existing right of a competent patient to refuse consent to any medical treatment and recommend that patients participate in plans for their future care, including Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment, or their equivalent.”
    SPUC promotes an ethical position in which the first duty of doctors is to give medical treatment in the best interests of the patient, not to follow directives which could lead to premature death of the patient. SPUC is also concerned that vulnerable people could be pressured to make Advance Decisions to Refuse Treatment.
    The Marie Curie website also includes the following statement on human embryo research:
    “The charity does not carry out or fund any experiments whatsoever on human embryos or human embryonic stem cells. Marie Curie has no plans to do so in the future.” [#AMRC#]

  • Mary’s Meals

    Green

    “Our vision is that every child receives one daily meal in their place of education and that all those who have more than they need, share with those who lack even the most basic things.”
    “We respect the right to life of every human person, from conception until natural death.” https://d1345tgcm1bzpm.cloudfront.net/assets/global/Marys-Meals-Statement-of-Values.pdf

  • Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

    Unknown status

    We do not currently have details for this charity.

  • Medical Research Scotland (MRS)

    Amber

    In a letter received on 30/4/2019, this organisation did not answer the question as to whether it funded research involving human embryos. The statement given in the letter was: “Any research that Medical research Scotland supports has to abide with all relevant legislation as it currently stands. Research proposals that involve the use of stem cells must have written authority from the UK Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA) and all studies where human tissues (irrespective of origin) is used must follow the Codes of Practice of the Human Tissue Authority.”

  • Meningitis Now

    Amber

    A letter dated 10/12/2018, this charity stated: “We do not fund any research which involves human embryo experimentation, nor do we support research using human embryos.” [#AMRC#]

  • Meningitis Research Foundation (MRF)

    Amber

    In a letter dated 18/12/2018, the Director of Research, Evidence and Policy of this charity stated: “We do not currently fund any research which involves human embryo experimentation, and have not done so in the past. We can assure our supporters that their donations will not be used to support research using human embryos.” [#AMRC#]

  • Mental Health Foundation

    Green

    In a letter dated 19/12/2018, this charity stated: “We can clarify that we do not have a policy on reproductive health services, human embryo experimentation, or assisted dying, as this is not part of our work. We do not do any work in connection with termination of pregnancy and contraceptive services for women and girls, or any research on abortion and mental health.”

  • Migraine Trust

    Amber

    In a letter dated 26/11/2018 stated: “You can be assured that there are no plans to pursue research with human embryos, and that we in no way support other organisations that research with human embryo experimentation.” [#AMRC#]

  • MIND

    Green

    Mind stated in an undated letter from 2019: “I can confirm that if you donated to Mind, your money would not go towards abortion services for women or girls, research using human embryos or campaigns to promote assisted dying.”

  • Mission Aviation Fellowship (MAF)

    Red

    Mission Aviation Fellowship is a Christian organization that provides aviation, communications, and learning technology services to more than 1,000 Christian and humanitarian agencies, as well as thousands of isolated missionaries and indigenous villagers in the world’s most remote areas.
    In a letter dated 24/1/2019 MAF stated: “The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SCGs) overlap with MAF’s belief that every community, however remote, should have the essentials for life our flights’ further activities supporting 14 of the 17 goals, including goal number 5: to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”
    Goal 5: Ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights as agreed in accordance with the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development and the Beijing Platform for Action and the outcome documents of their review conferences.
    https://www.un.org/development/desa/disabilities/envision2030-goal5.html

  • Motor Neurone Disease Association (MNDA)

    Amber

    In a letter dated 11/12/2018, this charity stated: “The Association does not carry out its own research. Of all the institutions we find, only two are using embryonic stem cells and these are from an established line – this means they have not been sourced specifically for this research.
    “We take a position of neutrality towards any change in the law on assisted dying. We always work within the law and do not provide encouragement or assistance to people wishing to pursue assisted dying.” https://www.mndassociation.org/wp-content/uploads/mnd-association-policy-statement-on-assisted-dying.pdf