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Massachusetts Voters On Stem Cell And SCNT Research
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
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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.
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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%
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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%
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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?
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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?
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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%
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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%
Massachusetts: Stem Cell & SNCT Research/Hart Research for CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTE
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
Massachusetts Voters On Stem Cell And SCNT Research
Massachusetts Voters On Stem Cell And SCNT Research
Survey among 606 likely voters in MassachusettsConducted March 7 – 9, 2005 for
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