For Immediate
Release
Contact: Julie Kimbrough, 646-734-6091
Maggie Goldberg,
973-379-2690
New Poll Shows More Than Two Thirds of Americans
Support Therapeutic Cloning Research to Produce Stem
Cells
Strong Opposition to Government Ban on Pioneering
Research
Washington, D.C.-- April 24, 2002 -- A poll
commissioned by the Coalition for the Advancement of Medical
Research (CAMR) shows more than two thirds of Americans support
therapeutic cloning research to produce stem cells for treating
life-threatening diseases and want the government to allow it to
proceed. Less than 30% polled want to outlaw the research. In the
new poll, conducted from April 18 to April 21, 68% of those surveyed
said they favored the government allowing scientists to do
therapeutic cloning research, while only 26% opposed it (the
remaining 6% of respondents answered "don't know"). The poll
surveyed 1,022 adult Americans and was conducted by Opinion Research
Corporation International.
"The poll shows clearly that the more the American people know
about this vital research, the more strongly they oppose government
efforts to ban it," said Michael Manganiello, President of CAMR.
People were asked simply whether they supported or opposed a
government ban on therapeutic cloning research to produce stem cells
to treat disease. More than half, 52%, said they opposed a ban.
Support for therapeutic cloning research grew dramatically, reaching
68% when questioners were given a list of diseases -- diabetes,
Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury --that could be treated
with stem cells produced by the research.
Of the 1,022 Americans responding, men were more likely than
women to favor therapeutic cloning research (71% to 65%). And
Americans who had at least a college degree were more likely to
favor the research than those with a high school degree (73% to
64%). The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 3%.
The Coalition for the Advancement of Medical Research (CAMR),
is comprised of nationally-recognized patient organizations,
universities, scientific societies, foundations, and individuals
with life-threatening illnesses and disorders, advocating for the
advancement of breakthrough research and technologies in
regenerative medicine - including stem cell research and somatic
cell nuclear transfer - in order to cure disease and alleviate
suffering.