The source of this article is Prnewswire: http://tinyurl.com/3pyz9
Those Favoring Stem Cell Research Increases to a 73 to 11 Percent Majority
A good issue for the Democrats
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- In 2001, a Harris Poll reported
that a 3-to-1 majority believed that stem cell research should be allowed.
Three years later, a new Harris Poll finds that this majority supporting stem
cell research has increased to more than 6-to-1. Other changes since 2001 are
a substantial increase in the number of people who have seen, read or heard
about the debate on stem cell research, stronger support for arguments in
favor of stem cell research and less support for arguments against it.
These results -- if found in the private polling for the Democrats -- may
explain the decision to feature the strong plea in favor of stem cell research
by President Reagan's son, Ron Reagan, at the Democratic Convention in Boston.
As Democrats looked for issues where large majorities of the public
support their positions and oppose those of President Bush, stem cell research
must have caught their attention. In this new survey, the big majorities of
the public who support their position on stem cell research must look very
attractive. Furthermore, big majorities of Republicans and Independents, not
just Democrats, support stem cell research.
Having said that, we should note that President Bush has not formally
opposed all stem cell research. The law which he supported and signed
restricted the use of federal funding (not other funding) for stem cell
research to a small number of embryonic stem cell lines. It was a compromise
which had the effect of restricting, but not eliminating, stem cell research.
These are some of the results of a nationwide survey of 2,242 adults
interviewed online by Harris Interactive(R) between July 12 and 18, 2004.
The main findings include:
* Those who say they have seen, heard or read about the debate on whether
to allow stem cell research have increased from 68% in 2001 to 83% now.
* The majority who believe that stem cell research should be allowed has
increased from 61% to 21% in favor in 2001 to 73% to 11% in favor now.
* This majority support for stem cell research includes almost all
Democrats with opinions (80% to 5%) and Independents (83% to 7%) and a
large, if smaller, majority of Republicans (60% to 18%).
* Those who believe that "using stem cells from human embryos for
research comes too close to allowing scientists play God" have fallen
sharply from 40% in 2001 to only 19% now.
* Those who believe that "allowing any medical research using stem cells
from human embryos should be forbidden because it is unethical and
immoral" have also fallen sharply from 32% to 15% over the last three
years.
Religion and stem cell research
The level of opposition to stem cell research varies according to people's
religious beliefs. Those who describe themselves as "very religious" are much
more likely to oppose stem research than those who are "not at all" or "not
very" religious (23% vs. 4%). Born-Again Christians are more likely to oppose
it than are other Christians (21% vs. 9%); and Catholics are somewhat more
likely to oppose it than Protestants (15% vs. 10%).
However, clear majorities of all religious groups we analyzed favor stem
cell research.
A methodological note
Readers should note that the number of "not sures" are higher in this new
survey than they were in 2001. This does not necessarily mean that more
people are unsure now than they were in 2001. In this new survey, respondents
were offered "not sure" as a possible response. In the 2001 survey, they were
not told that this was a choice but they could still give it. The increase in
"not sures" is probably a result of this change in the interview.
TABLE 1
SEEN, HEARD, READ ABOUT STEM CELL RESEARCH
"Have you seen, heard or read anything about the debate on whether to allow
the use of stem cells from human embryos to be used in medical research?"
Base: All Adults
2001 2004
% %
Yes, seen, heard, read 68 83
No, have not/Not sure 32 17
TABLE 2-A
SHOULD STEM CELL RESEARCH BE ALLOWED - BY PARTY
"Stem cells come from embryos left over from invitro fertilization, which are
not used and normally destroyed. Many medical researchers want to use them to
develop treatments, or to prevent diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's or
Parkinson's disease. On balance, do you think this research should or should
not be allowed?"
Base: All Adults
TOTAL TOTAL Party Identification
2001 2004 Republican Democrat Independent
% % % % %
Should be allowed 61 73 60 80 83
Should not be allowed 21 11 18 5 7
Not sure/Refused 18 16 21 15 10
NOTE: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 2-B
SHOULD STEM CELL RESEARCH BE ALLOWED - BY RELIGION
"Stem cells come from embryos left over from invitro fertilization, which are
not used and normally destroyed. Many medical researchers want to use them to
develop treatments, or to prevent diseases, such as diabetes, Alzheimer's or
Parkinson's disease. On balance, do you think this research should or should
not be allowed?"
Base: All Adults
Born- All Other
TOTAL Catholic Protestant Other Again (Not Born-
Christian Christian Again-
Christians)
% % % % % %
Should be
allowed 73 67 77 66 58 75
Should not
be
allowed 11 15 10 13 21 9
Not
sure/Refused 16 18 12 20 21 16
TOTAL Very Religious Somewhat Not at All/ Not
Religious Very Religious
% % % %
Should be allowed 73 55 76 84
Should not be 11 23 9 4
allowed
Not sure/Refused 16 22 16 11
NOTE: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
TABLE 3
AGREE/DISAGREE WITH FOUR STATEMENTS ABOUT STEM CELL RESEARCH
"Please indicate whether you tend to agree or disagree with the following
statements."
Base: All Adults
Not
Tend to Tend to Sure/
Agree Disagree Refused
As long as the parents of the embryo
give their permission, and the
embryo would otherwise be
destroyed, stem cell research
should be allowed 2001 % 72 21 7
2004 % 72 13 15
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 2001 % 63 29 7
2004 % 67 16 18
Using cells from human embryos for
research comes too close to
allowing scientists to play God 2001 % 40 53 7
2004 % 19 57 24
Allowing any medical research using
stem cells from human embryos
should be forbidden because
it is unethical and immoral 2001 % 32 60 8
2004 % 15 63 22
NOTE: Percentages may not add up exactly to 100% due to rounding.
Methodology
The Harris Poll(R) was conducted online within the United States between
July 12 and 18, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 2,242 adults (aged 18
years and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, region and household
income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual
proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to
adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.
In theory, with probability samples of this size, one could say with 95
percent certainty that the results have a sampling error of plus or minus 2
percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had
been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other
possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more
serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals
to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, and
weighting. It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these
factors. This online sample was not a probability sample.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National
Council on Public Polls.
About Harris Interactive(R)
Harris Interactive (http://www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide
market research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll(R), and for
pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market
research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Harris Interactive combines
proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom
and strategic research. The Company conducts international research from its
U.S. offices and through wholly owned subsidiaries -- London-based HI Europe
(http://www.hieurope.com), Paris-based Novatris and Tokyo-based Harris
Interactive Japan -- as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network
of independent market- and opinion-research firms. EOE M/F/D/V
To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to
participate in future online surveys, visit http://www.harrispollonline.com.
Press Contact:
Nancy Wong
Harris Interactive
585-214-7316
SOURCE Harris Interactive
Web Site: http://www.harrisinteractive.com
http://www.harrispollonline.com
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