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:
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Alzheimer’s Research UK
Amber
In a letter dated 22/11/2018 this charity stated that it funds projects which “focus on using stem cells made from adult skin cells.” However, they also fund some researchers who “may still study stem cells derived from human embryos.”
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Alzheimer’s Society
Red
In a letter dated 20/9/2018 this charity stated that it is not calling for a change in the law on assisted dying or euthanasia. It “only funds one project that uses embryonic stem cells, and they are only one of a number of types of cells used”.
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Amnesty International
Red
This organisation states: “We are ordinary people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights.” Now aligned with the pro-abortion lobby, Amnesty International states: “Access to free, safe and legal abortions is a human right”.
Their latest policy on abortion can be seen here:
https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/pol30/2846/2020/en/ -
Animal Defenders International Foundation (ADI)
a.k.a. ADI Foundation
Green
In a letter dated 12/12/2018 this charity stated: “…under no circumstances will research be sponsored where embryonated (sic) eggs (human or animal) are to be used, nor where a disease has been artificially induced into an animal during the course of veterinary research.”
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Animal Free Research UK
Green
In a statement on their website this organisation states:
“The use of human embryonic stem cells remains an ethically contentious issue due to the potential destruction of the embryo to retrieve the inner cell mass. In recent years there have been great advances in reverting adult specialised cells back to an undifferentiated state… These cells are known as “induced pluripotent stem cells” or iPSCs and in the future may become as scientifically useful as embryonic stem cells but without the ethical concerns.”
“Recently we have funded two exciting animal replacement research projects, which feature iPSCs.”
https://www.animalfreeresearchuk.org/stem-cells/ -
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
a.k.a. Anna Freud
Amber
In a letter dated 21/6/2019 this charity stated: “… we don’t have a policy on reproductive health services and don’t specialise in this at this centre.” The letter also stated: “… some of our work may have some overlap with this…”
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Antenatal Results and Choices (ARC)
Red
This charity believes “that every parent should have access to non-directive information and support through antenatal testing and its consequences”.
This organisation offers support to parents who decide either to continue with a pregnancy or abort because of “problems detected” in their unborn baby. In SPUC’s view there is a bias in favour of parents who chose abortion.
ARC supports the current law on abortion: “A reduction in the upper time limit would add an extra level of stress to an already traumatic situation… We owe it to these parents not to make a distressing situation any worse and so ARC will always defend the abortion law as it stands.”
http://www.arc-uk.org/about-arc/mission-and-vision -
Anthony Nolan
Amber
In a letter dated 19/11/2018, this charity wrote: “…the research undertaken at Anthony Nolan does not use, or perform, any experimental work on human embryos. We are fortunate to be able to work with stem cells from voluntary unrelated donors and from cord blood stem cells collected from the placenta following birth. Of course, this research is performed only following rigorous review and approval both internally and externally, and with the appropriately signed consent of the donor. Anthony Nolan does not provide funds or grants to other organisations for its research.”
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Antibiotic Research UK
Green
In a letter dated 29/5/2019 this charity stated: “The bottom line is that we conduct no research using human embryos and nor would I ever see a scientific reason to do so. Our charity is focussed on tackling antibiotic resistance, the world’s biggest medical issue we are currently faced with.”
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Arthritis Action
Green
In a letter dated 30/5/2019 this charity stated: “As our work is related to arthritis we do not knowingly get involved with:
- Abortion services for women or girls
- Research using human embryos
- Campaigns to promote assisted dying”
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Aspire
Green
This charity stated in a letter dated 4/6/2019: “Aspire is a charity that offers advice to people who have sustained a spinal cord injury and helps them move from injury to independence. To this end we have no connection with medical experimentation of any sort and so any donation would have no chance of funding abortion services or research using human embryos.”
On assisted dying this charity stated: “Aspire is against this, although we don’t have a written policy expressing this. However, it is the charity’s stated aims to help people live as full a life as possible regardless of the degree of their spinal injury. Should you choose to search the internet you will find several quotes from Alex Rankin, our Director of Services, criticising the depiction of the assisted suicide of a tetraplegic character in the popular TV series, Emmerdale. Our view was that the series pandered to stereotypes and wasn’t representative of the life that someone could lead post injury.” -
Association for Glycogen Storage Disease UK (AGSD)
Unknown status
We do not currently have details for this charity.
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Association of Medical Research Charities (AMRC)
Red
This is an umbrella group with over 140 member charities which are involved in medical research.
All members of the AMRC are required to “support the principle of using animals in research”.
The AMRC is less explicit about its support for the use of human embryos in research. However, in a joint statement on genome editing in human cells, the AMRC says: “We will continue to support the use of genome editing in preclinical biomedical research as well as studies that progress and refine these technologies. Within the UK, this research may involve the use of somatic (non-reproductive) or germ cells, including human embryos up to 14 days old – within the confines of the HFE Act 2008 – where appropriately justified and supported by rigorous scientific and ethical review.” (Emphasis added.)
The full statement, which can be seen here https://www.amrc.org.uk/Pages/Category/genome-editing, is signed by: The Academy of Medical Sciences; Cancer Research UK; BBSRC – bioscience for the future; Medical Research Trust; Progress Educational Trust; Wellcome Trust; Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute.
Charities which are members of the AMRC pay an annual membership fee ranging from £375 – £4,495 depending on the charity’s income. https://www.amrc.org.uk/become-a-member Even though the membership fees are small, donations to charities which are members of the AMRC could go towards the membership fee.
Charities which are part of the AMRC are supporting embryo research through their membership, even if, as in many cases, they are not directly funding projects which use human embryos. -
Asthma UK
Amber
This organisation states on its website: “Asthma UK understands and appreciates that people do have concerns about medical research involving human embryos, and charities providing funding support for it. Asthma UK does not currently fund any projects that require human or hybrid human embryos but as a member of the Association of Medical Research Charities, backs their support of the use of human embryos and the creation of hybrid human embryos when the research has the potential to make significant medical advances.”
https://www.asthma.org.uk/research/strategy/ethics/ -
AT Society
Amber
Ataxia-telangiectasia is a rare, genetic degenerative disease of childhood, which affects multiple systems of the body. In a letter dated 15/1/2019 this charity wrote: “The A-T Society, as a tiny research funder, does not have a formal policy on human embryo experimentation, as it is something that we have never funded nor been asked to fund, and I find it very difficult to conceive that we would ever be asked to do so.
“In the extremely unlikely event that someone was to approach us with a proposal, we would look long and hard at the scientific and ethical issues and seek guidance from the Association of Medical Research Charities, of which we are a member, and other appropriate organisations.” [#AMRC#]