HART RESEARCH P e t e r D ASSOTESCIA Massachusetts Voters On Stem Cell And SCNT Research Survey...

HARTRESEARCH

P e t e r D

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Massachusetts Voters On Stem Cell And SCNT Research


Survey among 606 likely voters in MassachusettsConducted March 7 – 9, 2005 for

Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE

Survey MethodologySurvey Methodology

Survey among 606 voters who say they are certain or very likely to vote in the 2006 general elections in Massachusetts, conducted March 7 – 9, 2005

Respondents contacted using random-digit-dial (RDD) sampling method

Margin of error: ±4.0% among the full sample, higher among subgroups


41%

12%

35%

17%

Strongly favor Somewhat favorStrongly oppose Somewhat oppose

63%

28%

70%

21%

Massachusetts Nationwide/Feb 2005

Voters Strongly Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research

Voters Strongly Support Embryonic Stem Cell Research


53%

10%

43%

14%

Strongly favor Somewhat favorStrongly oppose Somewhat oppose

Support For Stem Cell Research Increases With Explanation

Support For Stem Cell Research Increases With Explanation

72%

25%

“Embryonic stem cells are special cells that can develop into every type of cell in the human body. The stem cells are extracted from frozen embryos in fertility clinics, donated by couples who no longer intend to use the embryo to conceive a child. These embryos would therefore be discarded. The process destroys the embryo. These stem cells can then reproduce on their own, creating what is called a ‘line’ of stem cells that many researchers can work with. Scientists believe that there is a good chance that stem cells can be developed into cures or treatments for diseases such as cancer, Parkinson's, heart disease, juvenile diabetes, and spinal cord injuries.”

82%

15%

Massachusetts Nationwide/Feb 2005


Support For SCNT Very HighSupport For SCNT Very High

35%

45%

7%

13% Stronglyfavor

“In the SCNT process, scientists remove the DNA from an unfertilized human egg and replace it with genetic material, such as skin cells or heart tissue, from a human patient. No sperm is used in the process. Scientists then use this altered egg to grow stem cells that can be used for research or to treat that patient's disease.”

Having heard a description of it, do you favor or oppose SNCT stem cell research?

Somewhatfavor

Oppose

Not sure

80%

Before hearing the description, 18% of Massachusetts voters say they had heard of somatic cell nuclear transfer, or SCNT.


Support For SCNT Very HighSupport For SCNT Very HighSupport Among Key Subgroups

All voters

Boston media marketRest of state

LiberalsModeratesConservatives

CatholicsProtestants

80%

79%81%

92%81%64%

76%78%

High school/lessSome collegeCollege graduates

Age 18-34Age 35-49Age 50-64Age 65/over

Had heard of SCNTHadn’t heard of SCNT

83%79%77%

86%80%81%71%

86%78%


84% 10%

6%

Voters Endorse Cloning For Research,But Differentiate Reproductive & Therapeutic Cloning Voters Endorse Cloning For Research,But Differentiate Reproductive & Therapeutic Cloning

Cloning specifically designed to result in a human birth

Cloning that doesn’t result in human birth, but is designed to develop stem cells for medical research

Not sure

Disapprove Approve

30%

62%

8%

Disapprove

Not sure

Approve


28%

53%

4%15%

Voters Favor Stem Cell LegislationVoters Favor Stem Cell LegislationOverall Support for Bill toSupport Stem Cell Research

in Massachusetts

+81%

Strongly favor

Somewhat favor

OpposeNot sure

Support for Specific Provisions

Committee to address ethical issues

Allows SCNT to create stem cells

Reproductive cloning ban/criminal penalties

Supports both SCNT and embryonic stem cell research

82%

81%

77%

77%


Support Among Key Subgroups

All voters

Boston media marketRest of state

LiberalsModeratesConservatives

CatholicsProtestants

81%

82%77%

95%85%62%

76%78%

High school/lessSome collegeCollege graduates

Age 18-34Age 35-49Age 50-64Age 65/over

78%82%82%

86%86%84%67%

Voters Favor Stem Cell LegislationVoters Favor Stem Cell Legislation


Voters Agree With Bill’s Supporters On Cloning

Voters Agree With Bill’s Supporters On Cloning

29%60%

11%Agree more with bill’s supporters

“SUPPORTERS of the legislation say that because the altered egg is never fertilized or implanted in a womb, SCNT research is NOT the same thing as reproductive cloning to create a new human life. SCNT will only be used to find cures for diseases, and the legislation makes it illegal to use cloning to create a human being.”

Not sure

Agree more with bill’s opponents

“OPPONENTS of the legislation say that SCNT research is really human cloning, because it creates a genetically complete human embryo whose DNA is identical to the adult cell donor. If we cross the line and permit human cloning, this will eventually lead to cloning babies, no matter what supporters say now.”

With which side do you agree more?


Voters Agree With Bill’s Supporters On Promise Of SCNT Research

Voters Agree With Bill’s Supporters On Promise Of SCNT Research

31%

57%

12%Agree more with bill’s supporters

“SUPPORTERS of the legislation say that SCNT has important scientific advantages over traditional stem cell research. It will provide scientists with many diverse types of stem cell lines for their research, and it is more likely to lead to successful treatments because a patient's immune system will only accept new cells with the patient's own DNA.”

Not sure

Agree more with bill’s opponents

“OPPONENTS of the legislation say that traditional stem cell research using frozen embryos from fertility clinics is acceptable, but SCNT goes too far. It is not ethical to allow scientists to create human life in the laboratory and then destroy it.”

With which side do you agree more?


Arguments Against Stem Cell LegislationArguments Against

Stem Cell Legislation

9%

12%

19%

Very convincing reason to oppose bill Fairly convincing reason to oppose bill

SCNT starts us down path to cloning humans

Alzheimer’s/other diseases too complex for stem cell

therapy – raises false hope

SCNT no better than Nazi experiments on

Jewish people

30%

21%

14%


Arguments For Stem Cell Legislation

Arguments For Stem Cell Legislation

35%

45%

49%

Very convincing reason to support bill Fairly convincing reason to support bill

SCNT best hope for many diseases – gov’t should do all it can to support SCNT

Patients’ bodies don’t reject SCNT-created stem cells

SCNT would bring millions of research dollars, create thousands of jobs in MA

66%

64%

51%


Bill’s Support Remains StrongBill’s Support Remains Strong

30%

4%

46%

13%

7%

Final Support for Bill Promoting SCNT Stem Cell Research in Massachusetts

+76%

Strongly favor

Somewhat favor

Stronglyoppose

Not sure

Somewhat oppose

HARTRESEARCH

P e t e r D

A S S O T E SC I A



Survey among 606 likely voters in MassachusettsConducted March 7 – 9, 2005 for

HART RESEARCH P e t e r D ASSOTESCIA Massachusetts Voters On Stem Cell And SCNT Research Survey...

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