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Most Americans Support Stem Cell Research,
Says Nationwide Poll
Nearly two in three (65 percent) of Americans support the use of discarded embryos for stem cell research, says a new poll commissioned by The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston and conducted by Zogby International.
Discussing results of a national poll on health issues are, from
left, S.Ward Casscells III, M.D., the UT Health Science Center at
Houston’s vice president for biotechnology; John Zogby, president
and CEO of Zogby International; and Scott Lillibridge, M.D.,
director of the Center for Biosecurity and Public Health
Preparedness at the UT School of Public Health at Houston.
Photo by Scott Merville
The nationwide, 61-part survey on health issues also found that 72 percent of those polled support the use of stem cells for finding treatments for Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s or juvenile diabetes; while more than half (55 percent) do not believe it is “ethical” to conceive a child to harvest stem cells to save an existing child’s life.
“This should be the start of an annual survey – or perhaps a more focused survey every six months or so – alternately focusing on biotechnology, bioterrorism, health policy and prevention – because we can make a real contribution to researchers with these data,” said S. Ward Casscells III, M.D., the UT Health Science Center’s vice president for biotechnology and the John Edward Tyson Distinguished Professor of Medicine and professor of cardiology at the UT Medical School at Houston.
Zogby International President and CEO John Zogby, in Houston Sept. 7 to review poll results with Texas Medical Center officials and the news media, said his firm establishes bilateral relationships with leading universities to more thoroughly investigate important topics. When he began to seek a partnership in the area of biotechnology, Zogby said, Casscells and the university came highly recommended, so he approached Casscells to discuss a collaboration.
“We are absolutely delighted that this is happening with the UT Health Science Center,” Zogby said. “We get to work with the foremost experts in the world, not only in biotechnology, but also in bioterrorism and public health. It’s important for us to stay on the cutting edge.
“The Health Science Center will become a repository – the go-to place – for all of this biotechnology data that we will gather,” Zogby said. “No one else is generating this information on a regular, dedicated basis.” Data collected on American attitudes about health and health policy by the UT Health Science Center/Zogby poll also reveal:
- Health care costs are the number 1 health concern, cited by 56 percent who said they are personally affected; but obesity is second, with 20 percent personally affected.
• 45 percent of respondents consider themselves overweight.
• For those who said they were overweight, only 25 percent believed it would help if a doctor asked them to “sign a contract to lose weight.”
• 27 percent of people polled expect to live into their 90s, and 9 percent hope to become over 100; but, younger people are less optimistic and women expect longer life spans than do men.
• 66 percent say physicians should focus on care to prevent illness, rather than just diagnosing ailments.
• Diet is believed to be “essential to good health” by 85 percent, but 15 percent admit to smoking at least several cigarettes a day.
• 60 percent of Americans would favor health insurance covering nutritional supplements.
• Despite recent research to the contrary, nearly 40 percent do not believe infections such as flu can trigger heart attacks, stroke or sudden death.
Zogby International conducted interviews of 1,203 adults chosen at random nationwide. All calls were made Aug. 16-20 from Zogby International headquarters in Utica, N.Y.
The poll was commissioned by the UT Health Science Center, and all collected data will be held at the university. Zogby International has been tracking public opinion worldwide since 1984.
— By David R. Bates, Public Affairs