Americans Support Stem Cell Research

A new study finds that more than two thirds of Americans approve of the use of stem cells in research aiming to cure serious diseases.

Written byJef Akst

| 2 min read

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Human embryonic stem cellsWIKIMEDIA COMMONS, NISSIM BENVENISTY

Most Americans support the use of stem cells to treat such diseases as cancer and heart disease, according to a study published last month in Nature Biotechnology.

Research using human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) has been controversial since its inception, with the recent battle over federal funding of such science refocusing the debate in the public eye. While pundits, lobbyists, and politicians argue that it is unethical due to the fact that it involves the destruction of human embryos, hESC research also holds the potential to treat, or even cure, many life-threatening illnesses. But what does the general public think?

To answer this question, researchers at the University of Nevada, Reno, surveyed more than 2,000 Americans regarding their feelings on stem cells and other controversial ...

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Meet the Author

Jef Akst
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Jef (an unusual nickname for Jennifer) got her master’s degree from Indiana University in April 2009 studying the mating behavior of seahorses. After four years of diving off the Gulf Coast of Tampa and performing behavioral experiments at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga, she left research to pursue a career in science writing. As The Scientist's managing editor, Jef edited features and oversaw the production of the TS Digest and quarterly print magazine. In 2022, her feature on uterus transplantation earned first place in the trade category of the Awards for Excellence in Health Care Journalism. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers.
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