WASHINGTON (May 16, 2005)-- A majority of Americans, 52 percent, oppose
federal funding of embryonic stem cell research while just 36 percent
support it, according to a new poll commissioned by the Secretariat for
Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
Such funding is being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives,
which may soon vote on a bill (H.R. 810) to fund research requiring human
embryos to be destroyed for their stem cells.
When respondents were told that scientists disagree on whether embryonic
stem cells, or stem cells from adult tissues and umbilical cord blood, may
end up being most successful in treating diseases, 60% favored funding
only the research avenues that raise no moral problem, while 22% favored
funding all stem cell research including the kind that involves destroying
embryos.
“It is always wrong for government to promote the destruction of innocent
human life,” said Richard M. Doerflinger, Deputy Director of the USCCB
Secretariat for Pro-Life Activities. “To do so when a clear majority of
the taxpayers themselves reject this approach would be especially
irresponsible.”
The questions were part of a national survey conducted by International
Communications Research, which polled over one thousand American adults by
telephone May 6-11. A comparison of the results with an identical poll
from last year shows a clear trend against funding stem cell research that
requires destroying early human embryos. In August 2004, Americans opposed
funding the research 47 percent to 43 percent. The follow-up question on
kinds of stem cell research has received a more consistent response, with
the 2004 poll showing a 61% to 23% margin in favor of funding only morally
unproblematic avenues of research.
The new findings are also consistent with a recent Winston Group poll of
Republicans commissioned by GOP Congressmen supporting H.R. 810. The
Winston poll sponsors have touted a 57- to 40-percent poll result seeming
to favor embryonic stem cell research among Republicans; but that poll
showed just 36 percent of Republicans in favor of expanded federal funding
of embryonic stem cell research, and 58 percent in favor of President
Bush's policy of limited funding or no government funding at all.
“Congress should not be misled on this important issue,” said Doerflinger.
“Most Americans oppose federal funding of research which requires
destroying human embryos.”
The International Communications Research poll questions and results are
attached.
Questions asked by International Communications Research, a national
research firm headquartered in Media, Pennsylvania. A weighted sample of
1010 American adults was surveyed by telephone May 6-11, 2005, with a
margin of error of plus or minus 3 percent.
1. Stem cells are the basic cells from which all of a person's tissues and
organs develop. Congress is considering the question of federal funding
for experiments using stem cells from human embryos. The live embryos
would be destroyed in their first week of development to obtain these
cells. Do you support or oppose using your federal tax dollars for such
experiments?
Support 36.0%
Oppose 51.6%
Don’t know 10.5%
Refused 1.9%
2. Stem cells for research can be obtained by destroying human embryos.
They can also be obtained from adults, from placentas left over from live
births, and in other ways that do no harm to the donor. Scientists
disagree on which source may end up being most successful in treating
diseases. How would you prefer your tax dollars to be used this year for
stem cell research?
(Options rotated)
Supporting all methods, including those that require destroying
human embryos, to see which will be most successful 22.4%
or
Supporting research using adult stem cells and other alternatives,
to see if there is no need to destroy human embryos for research. 60.2%
Neither (volunteered) 7.8%
Don’t know 8.0%
Refused 1.6%