Rep. Fischbach Introduces the Unborn Protection Act

Statement

Yesterday, Congresswoman Fischbach introduced the Unborn Protection Act. This legislation would prohibit discrimination by abortion against an unborn child on the basis of results from Laboratory Developed Tests (LDTs) like non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT).

"It is heartbreaking to think how many parents have resorted to having an abortion because of an inaccurate test result, and I am deeply concerned parents are being pressured to take these tests, not as a way to prepare for the arrival of their child, but as a financial windfall for medical manufacturers that results in ending an innocent life," said Rep. Michelle Fischbach. "It is irresponsible for this Administration to continue to allow the FDA and physicians to push prenatal tests that the FDA has admitted have high rates of inaccuracy. I am thankful to all my colleagues for their support of this bill."

Background: At the beginning of the year, The New York Times published a deeply troubling article highlighting the frequent false-positive results from non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT). In response to this article, Rep. Fischbach led a letter to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) - joined by over 90 of her Republican colleagues - pressing the Food and Drug Administration for answers about its involvement with, and authority over, noninvasive prenatal testing. The FDA responded to the letter, sharing their concerns. Today's genetic non-invasive prenatal screening tests have not been reviewed by the FDA, and while they welcome legislation surrounding the issue of accuracy in LDTs, they have yet to take any action themselves.

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