Stem Cell Research

Line graph. 2002-2023 trend on moral acceptability of embryonic stem cell research. In 2023, 63% of Americans think it is morally acceptable to conduct embryonic stem cell research, while 33% 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?

	Morally acceptable	Morally wrong	Depends on situation (vol.)	Not a moral issue (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2023 May 1-24	63	33	2	*	2
2022 May 2-22	63	32	3	*	2
2021 May 3-18	64	34	1	*	1
2020 May 1-13	66	31	2	*	1
2019 May 1-12	64	31	2	*	3
2018 May 1-10	66	29	2	--	3
2017 May 3-7	61	33	3	*	3
2016 May 4-8	60	32	3	*	5
2015 May 6-10	64	29	3	*	4
2014 May 8-11	65	27	3	*	4
2013 May 2-7	60	32	3	*	5
2012 May 3-6	58	33	3	*	6
2011 May 5-8	62	30	3	*	5
2010 May 3-6	59	32	3	*	6
2009 May 7-10	57	36	2	1	4
2008 May 8-11	62	30	3	*	5
2007 May 10-13	64	30	2	*	4
2006 May 8-11	61	30	3	*	6
2005 May 2-5	60	33	3	-	4
2004 May 2-4	54	37	3	*	6
2003 May 5-7	54	38	3	-	5
2002 May 6-9	52	39	2	1	6
* Less than 0.5%; (vol.)=volunteered response
Gallup

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]?

	No restrictions	Ease current restrictions	Keep current restrictions	Not fund at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2009 Feb 20-22	14	38	22	19	7
2007 Apr 13-15	22	38	20	16	4
2005 May 20-22	11	42	24	19	4
2004 Oct 9-10	14	41	24	14	7
Gallup

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

	Yes, should	No, should not	No opinion
	%	%	%
2005 Aug 5-7	56	40	4
Gallup

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?

	Very closely	Somewhat closely	Not too closely	Not at all	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2005 May 20-22	12	46	27	15	*
2001 Aug 3-5	18	37	22	23	*
2001 Jul 10-11	9	29	28	32	2
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

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?

	Approve	Disapprove	No opinion
	%	%	%
2001 Aug 10-12	60%	34	6
2001 Aug 9	50%	25	25
Gallup

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

	Very important	Somewhat important	Not too important	Not at all important	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2001 Aug 10-12	36	42	13	8	1
2001 Aug 3-5	25	37	21	12	5
Gallup

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]?

	Same protection as other human lives	Cannot develop on its own	No opinion
	%	%	%
2001 Aug 10-12	36	60	4
Gallup

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?

	Should fund	Should not fund	Depends (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2001 Aug 3-5	55	40	2	3
(vol.) = Volunteered response
Gallup

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?

	Should fund	Should not fund	Depends (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2001 Aug 3-5	46	49	1	4
(vol.) = Volunteered response
Gallup

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?

	Should fund	Should not fund	Depends (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2001 Aug 3-5	28	66	5	1
(vol.) = Volunteered response
Gallup

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?

	Should fund	Should not fund	Depends (vol.)	No opinion
	%	%	%	%
2001 Aug 3-5	68	26	1	5
(vol.) = Volunteered response
Gallup

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?

	Very important	Somewhat important	Not too important	Not at all important	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2001 Jul 10-11	82	16	1	1	*
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

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?

	Very important	Somewhat important	Not too important	Not at all important	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2001 Jul 10-11	30	29	20	16	5
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

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?

	Should allow	Should not allow	No opinion
	%	%	%
2001 Jul 10-11	38	54	8
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

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?

	Very concerned	Somewhat concerned	Not too concerned	Not at all concerned	No opinion
	%	%	%	%	%
2001 Jul 10-11	12	21	33	33	1
* Less than 0.5%
Gallup

Stem Cell Research

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