The source of this article is Angus Reid Globalscan: http://tinyurl.com/ahfag

June 14, 2005
Americans Assess Rules for Stem Cell Research

(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.

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