June 14, 2005

Abstract: (Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States believe certain guidelines should be met before the scientific investigation on embryonic human stem cells is allowed, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 72 per cent of respondents think the research should be permitted as long as the parents of the embryo give their permission, and the embryo would otherwise be destroyed.

(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Many adults in the United States believe certain guidelines should be met before the scientific investigation on embryonic human stem cells is allowed, according to a poll by Harris Interactive. 72 per cent of respondents think the research should be permitted as long as the parents of the embryo give their permission, and the embryo would otherwise be destroyed.

Human stem cells come from embryos left over from in-vitro fertilization, which are habitually destroyed. These cells can develop into various tissues in the human body. Some scientists believe the research could be useful in the creation of new organs and in the treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. 65 per cent of respondents say they trust scientists who think stem cell research will greatly increase our ability to prevent or treat serious diseases.

In August 2001, U.S. president George W. Bush cited ethical questions in his rationale to ban federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. In a nationally televised statement, Bush said, "While we're all hopeful about the potential of this research, no one can be certain that the science will live up to the hope it has generated." 54 per cent think the U.S. will fall behind other countries in terms of leadership in the development of new drugs and preventing diseases if the federal government does not fund stem cell research from human embryos.

On May 24, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 238-194 to allow federal funding for research performed on stem cells obtained from days-old embryos stored in fertility clinics. A second bill, which seeks to establish a national bank of blood products from umbilical cords available for research and treatment, passed after a 431-1 vote. The two proposed pieces of legislation must be reviewed by the Senate.

On May 20, Bush declared, "I made very clear to Congress that the use of federal money, taxpayer's money, to promote science which destroys life in order to save life—I'm against that. Therefore, if the bill does that, I would veto it." 27 per cent of respondents believe the preservation of human life should be ahead of the interests of medical science, 23 per cent say using cells from human embryos for research comes too close to allowing scientists to play God, and 17 per cent think this type of scientific investigation is unethical and immoral and should be forbidden.

Polling Data

Please indicate whether you tend to agree with the following statements:

As long as the parents of the embryo give their permission, and the embryo would otherwise be destroyed, stem cell research should be allowed	72%
If most scientists believe that stem cell research will greatly increase our ability to prevent or treat serious diseases we should trust them and let them do it	65%
If the federal government does not fund stem cell research from human embryos, the United States will fall behind other countries in terms of leadership in the development of new drugs and preventing diseases	54%
I don't believe that we should put the interests of medical science ahead of the preservation of human life, which includes human embryos	27%
Using cells from human embryos for research comes too close to allowing scientists to play God	23%
Allowing any medical research using stem cells from human embryos should be forbidden because it is unethical and immoral	17%

Source: Harris Interactive
Methodology: Online interviews with 2,012 American adults, conducted from May 25 to May 27, 2004. Margin of error is 3 per cent.