Results of nationwide survey of Americans’ attitudes toward stem-cell research, cloning and other scientific and medical advances

Virginia Commonwealth University on Wednesday, Oct. 13, will release the results of its annual nationwide survey of Americans’ attitudes toward stem-cell research, cloning and other scientific and medical advances in technology.

The fourth annual VCU Life Sciences Survey includes a look at the U.S. public’s attitudes toward embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning under limited conditions, the benefits of science to society, genetic research and privacy issues surrounding health information.

The telephone survey of 1,004 adults throughout the United States was conducted for VCU Life Sciences by the VCU Center for Public Policy. Its margin of error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Thomas F. Huff, Ph.D., vice provost for VCU Life Sciences, will release the survey results at 11 a.m. at the Virginia Biotechnology Summit in McLean, Va. Also in attendance will be survey director David J. Urban, Ph.D., a marketing and business law professor in VCU’s School of Business.

Past surveys have gauged national public opinion on similar issues. The 2001 poll found 48 percent of Americans were in favor of embryonic stem-cell research. In the years 2002 and 2003, the numbers were 35 percent and 47 percent, respectively.

The summit is the annual meeting of the Virginia Biotechnology Association, a 200-member statewide trade group that promotes the considerable scientific and economic impact of the life sciences industry in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is being held Tuesday and Wednesday at the McLean Hilton Hotel, 7920 Jones Branch Dr., McLean, Va., 22102.

http://www.vcu.edu/uns