The full survey is available at <http://www.vcu.edu/lifesciencessurvey/>
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 4, 2001 CONTACT: Cary Funk Director of the Commonwealth Poll 804/827-1430 Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] www.vcu.edu/uns Americans Welcome Scientific Advancements with Caution Life Sciences Survey Conducted by the VCU Center for Public Policy RICHMOND, Va. — Americans are extremely supportive of the giant strides being made in science and technology but also are very concerned about the moral implications inherent in areas such as stem-cell research and genetic testing, according to a new nationwide survey conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond. The VCU Life Sciences Survey was conducted with 1,122 adults nationwide. The margin of error for the poll is +/- 3 percent. Highlights of the survey found that: Scientific Progress and Moral Values An overwhelming majority of Americans (85 percent) believe that science and technology have made society better, but at the same time a majority (72 percent) also believe that science doesn't pay enough attention to moral values. More religious Americans are especially likely to think that science doesn't pay enough attention to moral values. Americans are more confident about the capacity of science and medicine to solve problems associated with disease than they are about society's capacity to address many other problems. 83 percent are confident that genetic research will lead to major advances in the treatment of diseases during the next 15 years. 73 percent believe it is likely that mortality rates from cancer will be reduced by half in the next 15 years compared to only 20 percent who think the crime rate will be reduced by half and 31 percent who said the number of deaths from truck and automobile accidents will be reduced by half. Stem Cell Research Medical research that uses stem cells from human embryos is favored by a 48 to 43 percent plurality. There are clear divisions in viewpoint over stem cells depending on the importance of religious beliefs. 71 percent of those who say religion is not important to them favor stem cell research compared to 38 percent who say religion provides a great deal of guidance in their life. At the same time, the vast majority of Americans (78 percent) believe that ethical concerns over stem cell research are serious. The public is more likely to trust information on stem cell research from scientific researchers and medical ethicists than information that comes from other groups. 86 percent say they would trust information on stem cell research that comes from scientific and medical researchers and 81 percent would trust information from specialists in medical ethics. This compares with 58 percent who would trust information from family and friends on this issue, 54 percent from religious leaders, and 46 percent from the media. Genetic Testing and Discrimination A clear majority (77 percent) believe that genetic testing should be made easily available. Six in ten report they would get tested if it was easily available and even more (67 percent) would get their children tested if it was easily available. Large majorities believe that genetic testing results will lead to discrimination by health insurance companies and employers. 84 percent believe that health insurance companies will deny coverage and 69 percent believe that employers will deny people jobs because of genetic testing results. Americans are almost evenly split (by 46 to 43 percent) over whether it is even possible to prevent discrimination from genetic testing results. On the issue of which groups or individuals can protect people from the misuse of genetic information, large majorities express confidence in physicians, genetic counselors, and scientists. Just under half, 47 percent, have confidence that the federal or state government can protect people from misuse of this information. Confidence in the media is strikingly lower than any other group asked about. Only 21 percent of Americans have confidence in the media to protect people from the misuse of this information. Trust and the News Media While a 45 percent plurality say they would turn first to the news media to learn more about stem cell research, few appear to trust the information provided by the media. Trust for the media on this issue was lower than that for all but one other group — the U.S. Congress. Similarly, fewer people expressed confidence in the media to protect people from the misuse of genetic information than did so for any of ten other groups. Religion, Catholics, and Science While the Roman Catholic leadership has been active in the debate against stem cell research, Catholics in America hold views quite similar to the public at large on stem cells. The same holds for opinion on abortion. More religious Americans depart sharply from other Americans on new developments in science and medicine. Those who are more religious are more likely to oppose stem cell research, are less likely to think the benefits of genetic research outweigh the risks and are more likely to believe that "science doesn't pay enough attention to moral values." -- This is the ISTA-talk mailing list. To unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For more information: <http://www.ista-il.org/ista-talk.asp> To search the archives: <http://www.mail-archive.com/ista-talk@lists.csi.cps.k12.il.us/>
