Americans deeply divided about use of genetic technologies in re...( Washington DC December 9 2002 -Ameri...)

Washington, DC, December 9, 2002 -Americans are both hopeful and fearful about the rapidly advancing power of scientists to manipulate human reproduction, according to a new survey released today by the Genetics and Public Policy Center, a Johns Hopkins University effort funded by The Pew Charitable Trusts.

The survey explored the knowledge and attitudes of 1,211 respondents about reproductive cloning, genetic testing, and genetic modification and preferences about government regulation. "These technologies give us the power to manipulate the most personal and profound of human activities -- beginning a new human life," said Kathy Hudson, Ph.D., director of the Center.

Highlights of the survey:

• Most Americans oppose (76 percent) scientists working on ways to clone humans. Of those who support human cloning research, men outnumber women by more than two to one (26 percent; 11 percent).

• Twenty-two percent of respondents believe a human has already been cloned, with young men most likely to believe it (31 percent).

• The public draws clear distinctions between health and non-health related applications of these technologies. Two thirds of respondents approve of using reproductive genetic testing to help parents have a baby free of a serious genetic disease. An even larger number, over 70 percent, disapprove of trying to use these technologies to identify or select traits such as strength or intelligence.

• Overall, men were twice as likely as women to be highly supportive of reproductive genetic technologies (25 percent; 12 percent).

• Most respondents think the government should regulate the quality and safety of reproductive genetic technologies and limit human reproductive cloning. Notably, the majority of Republicans, Democrats and Independents support government regulation of these technologies.

• Fifty-four percent think about these technologies primarily in te
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Contact: Monique Harris
mharri40@jhu.edu
202-663-5979
Johns Hopkins University
9-Dec-2002


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