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(Angus Reid Global Scan) - Some voters in the Empire State would back a proposal to build a facility devoted to stem cell research, according to a poll by the Cornell University Survey Research Institute. 45 per cent of respondents in New York support the idea, while 26 per cent are opposed.

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.

In August 2001, United States 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."

Last November, California voters approved Proposition 71, which allocates $3 billion U.S. of the state's funds for stem cell research. Republican governor Arnold Schwarzenegger backed the measure.

Polling Data

Would you support or oppose a ballot measure to create a stem cell research institute in New York?

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