Stem Cell Research | Gallup Historical Trends

Line graph. 64% of Americans think it is morally acceptable to conduct stem cell research, while 34% believe it is not.

Next, I'm going to read you a list of issues. Regardless of whether or not you think it should be legal, for each one, please tell me whether you personally believe that in general it is morally acceptable or morally wrong. How about medical research using stem cells obtained from human embryos?

As you may know, the federal government currently provides very limited funding for medical research that uses stem cells obtained from human embryos. Which would you prefer the government to do -- [ROTATED: place no restrictions on government funding of stem cell research, ease the current restrictions to allow more stem cell research, keep the current restrictions in place (or should the government) not fund stem cell research at all]?

Do you think the federal government should -- or should not -- fund research that would use newly created stem cells obtained from human embryos?

How closely have you followed the debate about government funding of stem cell research -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not closely at all?

As you may know, President Bush gave a speech on stem cell research, and he announced that he WOULD allow the government to fund research using stem cells that have been created in the past in a process that destroyed human embryos. The government WILL NOT fund stem cell research that would destroy additional embryos in the future. Overall, do you approve or disapprove of Bush's decision on stem cell research?

How important is the issue of stem cell research to you -- very important, somewhat important, not too important or not at all important?

Thinking about embryos that have been created in a laboratory by fertilizing a woman's egg outside the womb and have not been implanted in a woman's womb. Which comes closer to your view about this type of embryo -- [ROTATED: the embryo is a human life that should be given the same protection as all other human lives, (or) the embryo has the potential for life, but is not the same as a life, because it cannot develop on its own]?

As you may know, fertility clinics increase a woman's chance to have a child by fertilizing several embryos, but only a few are implanted in her womb to enable her to have a baby. Some stem cells are developed from the remaining embryos that the fertility clinics usually discard. Do you think the federal government should or should not fund research on stem cells from this kind of embryo?

Some stem cells are developed from embryos that are created in laboratories specifically for the purpose of conducting this research and not to help women have a child. Do you think the federal government should or should not fund research on stem cells from this kind of embryo?

Some stem cells may be developed from embryos produced by cloning cells from a living human being rather than by fertilizing a woman's egg. Do you think the federal government should or should not fund research on stem cells from this kind of embryo?

There is another kind of research using stem cells that come just from adults and do not come from embryos at all. The research results in no injury to the person from whom the stem cells are taken. Do you think the federal government should or should not fund research on this kind of stem cells?

For each of the following, please tell me if it is -- very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important -- to you personally. How about -- Medical researchers finding cures for diseases such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease and spinal cord injury?

For each of the following, please tell me if it is -- very important, somewhat important, not too important, or not at all important -- to you personally. How about -- Preventing human embryos from being used in medical research?

One of the issues involved in this type of research is whether or not the embryos used were developed specifically for stem cell research. Do you think the federal government should or should not allow scientists to fertilize human eggs specifically for the purpose of creating new stem cells?

At least one other country currently allows scientists to create human embryos specifically for stem cell research. How concerned are you that other countries will gain a competitive advantage over the U.S. if the government does not allow U.S. scientists to do the same? Are you -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned or not at all concerned?

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Stem Cell Research | Gallup Historical Trends