54% Of U.S. Adults Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research, 37% Oppose It, Poll Says

December 21, 2006 – 11:21 am | posted in Stem Cell Research, Women's Health / OBGYN

About 54% of U.S. adults support human embryonic stem cell research and 37% oppose it, according to the “2006 VCU Life Sciences Survey” released on Friday by Virginia Commonwealth University, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports. The survey, which has asked the same questions about stem cell research the past few years, in 2005 found that 58% of U.S. adults supported embryonic stem cell research and that 32% opposed it. The 2006 survey also found that 70% of respondents said they would support using embryonic stem cells to develop treatments for themselves or family members who have conditions such as Parkinson’s or spinal cord injuries — a slight increase from 2005 — and 21% would not support using embryonic stem cell treatments to treat such conditions — up from 17% from last year. The survey found 77% of adults who oppose embryonic stem cell research also believe abortion should be banned in all cases, up from 64% last year. The 2006 survey polled 1,000 U.S. adults between Nov. 8 and Nov. 21 and has a margin of error of three percentage points (Hostetler, Richmond Times-Dispatch, 12/15).

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