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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Eve Appeal
Amber
Eve Appeal funds research into five gynaecological cancers. In a letter dated 5/12/2018, this charity stated: “We do not fund any research using human embryos and neither do our research teams.”
However, this charity endorses compulsory sex education in schools to raise awareness of gynaecological cancers. At the time of writing, this charity features a blog on its website written by an “18 year old campaigner for better relationships and sex education and the founder of ISupportSexEducation.com.” The writer is “a member of the Family Planning Association Youth Council and a former Stonewall Young Campaigner.” The writer of the blog welcomes compulsory sex education and says that the “draft guidelines are certainly a step in the right direction but present major gaps such as anatomy, pleasure and LGBTQ+ issues.” https://eveappeal.org.uk/blog/the-need-for-sexual-education-on-the-curriculum/ -
FARA
Green
In a letter dated 17/1/19, this charity stated: “We do not provide reproductive health services. The children and young people cared for and mentored in our programmes are given guidance and advice based on the Christian values of the charity. We do not work with any other charities or organisations that offer reproductive health services in Romania.”
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Fight for Sight
Amber
In a letter dated 18/1/2018, this charity stated: “We do not currently and, to our knowledge, have never previously funded any projects that involve the use of human embryonic stem cells. Stem cells can also be sourced by ‘reprogramming’ living adult cells (from for example skin and hair) and the stem cell research we currently fund uses these techniques. However, as a medical research charity it is our responsibility to ensure we are using the most effective approved techniques to achieve results.
“All research using embryonic stem cells is subject to strict regulation through the Human Fertilisation and Embryo Authority (HFEA) and within this framework Fight for Sight in principle supports research involving embryonic stem cells.” [#AMRC#] -
Foundation for Liver Research
Amber
In a letter dated 11/02/19, this charity stated: “to answer your question with respect to human embryo experimentation, this is not an area that the foundation has ever supported research into and it does not come within any of the research projects that have been undertaken in the Institute over the years or currently.” [#AMRC#]
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Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity
Amber
This charity’s research strategy does not mention if it funds embryo research. [#AMRC#].
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Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity (GOSH)
Amber
In a letter dated 13/12/2018, this charity stated: “… one of the main reasons for embryo research in addition to fertility, is because embryos are a source of stem cells. Stem cells have unique properties and have the ability to turn into almost any cell in the body. This means they have enormous potential to advance medicine. However, embryos are not the only source of stem cells.
“Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity supports the use of stem cells in research as long as the research meets legal and ethical requirements…
“… we are also increasingly focusing on areas which are using new techniques to generate stem cells. This includes using adult stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPCSs) – a type of stem cell that can be generated in the lab from cells such as those at the root of the hair or skin cells.”
Extracts from this charity’s “Position statement on the use of stem cells in research”, enclosed with the letter:
“We recognise that there are important ethical issues concerning the use of human embryonic stem cells and that some supporters of the charity will hold moral objection to the use of human embryonic stem cells in research. The wishes of these donors will be fully respected in relation to any donations they make.
“Most embryos used in UK stem cell research are embryos initially created for us in fertility treatment, but not used. These IVF embryos, if donated with the full consent of the parents, can be used for research. Licensed research can take place on embryo up to 14 days. Stem cells are isolated from the blastocyst much sooner than this – at 5-6 days.” [#AMRC#] -
Guts UK
Red
In a letter dated 7/12/2018, this organisation stated: “Guts UK funds laboratory-based, transitional and clinical research and some of the projects we support could use embryonic tissue, more likely stem cells derived from embryos. As an organisation we do not have a policy that precludes the use of embryonic tissue provided that the researcher and the institution adhere to all relevant regulation and legislation.”
The letter included comments from a researcher funded by Guts UK:
“…future studies on developing embryonic tissue will be critical to improve our understanding of how the gut develops and it’s clear that animal models are not 100% comparable.
“Other research groups that we collaborate with do indeed use human embryonic stem cells, stable cell lines, so they are not isolated from embryos on an on-going basis.” [#AMRC#] -
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Charity
Red
In a letter dated 21/6/20, this charity stated: “We fund research across many clinical areas, including fertility. A small part of the research we undertake involves human embryos.”
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Headway
Green
In a letter dated 4/6/20, this charity stated: “All funds donated to Headway – the brain injury association go directly towards achieving the charity’s aims of improving life after brain injury… I can confirm that Headway – the brain injury association is in no way involved in abortion, human embryo experimentation, or assisted dying, nor does charitable funding go towards such issues.”
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Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Green
This charity offers “a range of complementary services to people who have difficulty with their hearing”. In a letter dated 10/6/19, it stated: “I am writing to confirm that the charity is not in any way involved in abortion, human embryo experimentation or assisted dying.”
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Heart Research UK
Amber
In a letter dated 13/12/2018, the Head of Research of this charity stated: “To my knowledge, Heart Research UK has not funded any research involving human embryos. However, the Charity does not have a policy that prohibits the use of human embryos in research.” [#AMRC#]
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Henshaw’s Society for Blind People
Green
Henshaws is a northern charity supporting people living with sight loss and a range of other disabilities to go beyond expectations. In a letter dated 30/5/19, the charity stated: “any donations or support provided to our charity would not go towards funding abortion services, research using human embryos or campaigns to promote assisted dying.”
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Herpes Virus Association (HVA)
Red
This organisation gives advice and information to people who have herpes simplex.
In a letter dated 7/13/2018 this organisation stated that is does not have “an official statement about human experimentation as we are unaware that any such research takes place in the context of herpes simplex.”
This charity links to Brook and the fpa among other organisations. https://herpes.org.uk/useful-links/ -
Hospices of Hope
Green
In a letter dated 1/7/2019, this charity stated: “We do not support assisted dying in any way, as we believe that providing excellent palliative care is the best way to help both the patient and the family.
“We work through our country partner charities in South East Europe and all of them hold to this belief and practice. Sadly, only a small percentage of terminally ill patients in these countries have access to palliative care and we are doing all we can to improve this situation.” -
Huntingdon’s Disease Association
Green
In a letter dated 18/01/19, the charity stated: “In terms of assisted dying, the HAD would never support anything that is against UK law. Therefore, we do not embark in any campaigns to promote assisted dying or promote other organisations who do this.
“Our research funding is not allocated to research using human embryos. We take the view that our research funding is better directed towards research that improves quality of life for people affected by Huntington’s now so tends to be more social science orientated.”