MEMORANDUM
TO: INTERESTED PARTIES
FROM: GLEN BOLGER
RE: KEY FINDINGS – NEBRASKA SURVEY ON FETAL CELL
RESEARCH
DATE: FEBRUARY 24, 2016
Methodology
Public Opinion Strategies completed a statewide survey in Nebraska on the topic of fetal cell research.The survey was conducted February 4-6, 2016 for The Nebraska Coalition for Life Saving Cures among 500 voters, including 150 cell phone only voters, and has a margin of error of +4.38% in 95 out of 100 cases.
Key Findings
1. By nearly two-to-one, Nebraskans support fetal tissue research.
Here is the question that we asked:
“Medical research institutions around the country, including The University of Nebraska, use small samples of fetal cells in laboratory research on diseases for which there currently is no cure, such as HIV. These cells are obtained from a National Institutes of Health funded repository using fetuses that have been aborted for other reasons and would otherwise be discarded. Generally speaking, do you support or oppose fetal tissue research?”
Fully 64% favor it and 33% oppose it. Key subgroup findings include:
- There is majority support for fetal tissue research across party lines, as 52% of Republicans, 64% of Independents, and 86% of Democrats back it.
- There are some differences by Congressional District, but strong majorities in each area back – 64% favor in the First CD, 70% in the Second CD, and 58% in the Third CD.
- There is no difference in support between men and women.
2. Asked whether the legislature should allow or ban fetal cell research, support for allowing the research reaches 67%.
Here is the question we asked:
“Generally speaking, do you think the legislature should allow fetal cell research and cures and treatments derived from it, or ban fetal cell research and cures and treatments derived from it?”
Fully 67% support allowing it, while 29% prefer to ban it. Support to allow it is strong across partisan, geographic, and gender lines.
3. Nebraskans want the state to be a leader in medical research.
Asked “how important is it that Nebraska be a leader in medical research?” fully 93% say it is important, including 60% who say it is “very important” and 34% who say it is “somewhat important” (numbers add to 93% because of rounding). Only 6% say it is either “not too important” (5%) or “not at all important” (1%).
4. Nebraskans find the pro-research messaging convincing.
A majority of respondents found each pro-research message convincing. The top message tested focuses on the history of fetal cell research and its role in the development of vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, chicken pox, and more. (See figures below).
5. Nebraskans reject the anti-research talking points.
Most of the anti-research messages fall flat with Nebraska voters. In fact, a majority of Nebraska voters say that it is not at all convincing (along with 73% total convincing) that fetal cell research encourages abortion.
The Bottom Line
There is strong, bi-partisan support for continuing to allow fetal cell research in Nebraska. The majority support crosses all three congressional districts, and there is no difference by gender.