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Tuesday Sep 18, 6:28 PM
 


By Sheryl Ubelacker
TORONTO (CP) - Almost half of Canadians would support Canada allowing scientists to create human-animal embryos for medical research, knowing that it might lead to cures for some of humanity's most devastating diseases, a poll released Tuesday suggests.


The Canadian Press Harris-Decima poll found that 47 per cent of respondents would favour human-animal embryo research when told it could help find treatments for conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.


Thirty-six per cent of respondents opposed such research and 17 per cent had no opinion.


When respondents were initially asked about Britain's recent decision to permit limited human-animal embryo experimentation, 58 per cent said Canada should maintain its current ban on such research, while 29 per cent said Canada should adopt a similar policy.


But when told that such research might help find cures for human disease, almost a third of those who at first opposed the idea said they would change their position.


"So that's why we come to the conclusion that looking at these two questions in combination, people are a little bit open to this, but somewhat significantly resistant as well," Harris-Decima president Bruce Anderson said from Ottawa.


The poll was conducted during the first week of September, after British regulators gave the green light for scientists to create hybrid embryos by inserting human DNA into animal eggs in a bid to extract stem cells. Embryonic stem cells produce all the different cells in the body, from heart to liver to skin.


Respondents were asked if Canada should follow suit.


Anderson said respondents who are practising members of a religion were more likely to oppose Canada allowing this type of scientific work than those who are not actively religious.


"I think that for some people, any initiative that has the potential to compromise or affect the human gene is something that there's a certain amount of dread about," he said. "The dread seems to stem either from a sense that something can go wrong and the extent of the problem may not be known for some considerable period of time, but the impact of the problem could be quite significant."


"But also I think this is particularly true of those who are more religious in society: there's a certain barrier between things that humans should do in the name of medical science and things that for these individuals, anyway, only God should be involved in."


"And transgenics involving human genes is certainly one of those areas."


The poll found that urban dwellers, younger respondents and the more affluent were more inclined to support the idea of hybrid embryo research. When the initial question was asked, men were more comfortable with the idea than women - and by a considerable margin. Thirty-eight per cent of men favoured allowing this type of research, compared to 20 per cent of women.


Anderson said the poll results illustrate that it is not just religious Canadians who are casting a wary eye at the notion of scientists tampering with what it means to be human.


"What we know is there really aren't hard lines that people draw here," he said. "We do know that transgenics is one of those areas where opinion is decidedly grey and muddy, rather than black and white. But it's not grey and muddy because people don't have strong feelings; it's grey and muddy because they have strong beliefs on both sides of the question."


Harris-Decima surveyed more than 1,000 Canadian adults for the poll, which has a margin of error of 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

Hello Brother David,

My objections to things like this are religious. I don't like the idea of men trying to play "god" in dealing with human life. Abortion stands as an example that mankind is NOT trustworthy in this area. Unregulated, who knows where things would go and what would happen. I doubt that morals, ethics, and values would be an important part of any decisions if mankind could simply do whatever they wanted in this area. They could also open another "Pandora's box", in error or on purpose. Throwing animal and human parts together into a genetic blender sounds like a Frankenstein experiment. Bluntly, I think the biggest factor is money, not the possible consequences of them playing "god".

Love In Christ,
Tom

   

This is my objection to this also. Scientist thinking they can create new life ( playing God ). The majority of the time when they do so it ends up with nothing but disastrous results.

This is also my objection. Man can, and never will be God no matter how hard they try.  Only God can give life a soul, that is essential to life.

Amen Bep, PR, DW, and may I also add that God would not allow such a thing. God created a male and a female of each creature and He will not allow man to create such an abomination.

I agree with you guys. I am surprised at the high amount of Canadians. I should not be but I am  :'(

I'm sure that you probably don't have much control over where you are living physically but at least we can all be a member of the Kingdom of God.

Amen to that Brother Roger.

David, these things are to be expected and mankind will become even more evil, but we all know that we are getting closer to the Wonderful day when Jesus returns for His Church. So as Brother Tom would say

Hello Brother David,

There is no place in this world that is Godly and decent. In fact, evil is multiplying around the world as we speak. As Christians, we need to always remember that this world isn't our home. Our real home for Eternity is in Heaven with JESUS. In all reality, our citizenship is in Heaven. We are only here in this life on earth for a very short time. We're just passing through and will leave this evil world at GOD'S Appointed time.

Brother David, as Christians we can say that our REAL HOME is GODLY and HOLY in the presence of JESUS CHRIST forever. This is a true statement for Christians. Our bodies are also a temporary thing. The Bible compares our bodies to a tent. GOD will give us a Glorified Body at HIS Appointed Time, and there won't be any more pain, illness, or disability. Our body will be perfect like the one JESUS CHRIST has, and the tent we used on earth will be left behind forever. Further, there won't be any more evil, tears, or sorrow in our Eternal Home. These are the Promises of ALMIGHTY GOD, and they will come to pass perfectly!

Love In Christ,
Tom