SALT LAKE CITY — A medical nonprofit that champions ethical research and testing has pulled out of a conference it planned to hold in Utah, citing abortion laws and transgender athletics .

The group, Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research, is an independent, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to advance ethical research that provides education.

“It was to be a five-day conference, bringing together a range of players involved in research with humans and research with animals,” said chief executive Elisa Hurley.

Between 2,500 and 3,000 people were expected to attend the conference, which will now go virtual.

“You know, it made us realize that we didn’t think in good conscience, that we could go to the state of Utah and get our people together for the meeting,” Hurley said. “It was a combination of the trigger law coming into effect in Utah, along with legislation that prevents transgender women and girls from participating in sports aligned with their gender identity.”

The Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute previously estimated that convention attendees will spend an average of $971. This money goes directly back into the local economy.

Using this number, 3,000 participants would have generated $2,913,000.

Senate President J. Stuart Adams released a statement to FOX 13 News saying, “Although one organization has decided to relocate, other organizations have chosen Utah to hold conferences and events. While I disagree with the boycott tactics, our economy remains strong and we will continue to adopt policies that are in the best interest of all Utahns.

The PRIM&R 2022 conference was scheduled to take place November 14-18. It will now be online in mid-December.

Hurley thinks his organization could be the first in a long line to leave Utah because of the legislation.

“Some, I think, are making similar decisions or they’re certainly weighing in with that kind of weighing of those kinds of decisions,” Hurley said. “When will we see other organizations follow suit, I guess we will see.”

FOX 13 News has also learned that the American Society for Human Genetics also canceled for the same reason.

This convention was expected to attract 7,300 attendees in October 2028.