America: Genetic Modification
By US Office of Technology Assesment, 1986,
US Office of Technology Assesment, 1986
| 01. 01. 1990
How do you feel about scientists changing the makeup of human cells to...
| |
Strongly approve |
Somewhat approve |
Somewhat disapprove |
Strongly disapprove |
Not sure |
| - Stop children from inheriting a usually fatal genetic disease |
51 |
33 |
8 |
7 |
1 |
| - Cure a usually fatal genetic disease |
48 |
35 |
7 |
7 |
|
| - Stop children from inheriting a nonfatal birth defect |
41 |
36 |
12 |
9 |
2 |
| - Reduce the risk of developing a fatal disease later in life |
39 |
38 |
12 |
9 |
2 |
| - Improve the intelligence level that children would inherit |
18 |
26 |
22 |
31 |
2 |
| - Improve the physical characteristics that children would inherit |
16 |
28 |
23 |
31 |
3 |
Suppose someone had a genetic defect that would cause usually fatal diseases in them and would likely be inherited by their children. Do you think that doctors should be allowed to correct only the gene affecting the disease in the patient, only the gene that would carry the disease to future generations, both genes, or neither gene?
| |
Both |
Only affecting patient |
Offspring |
Neither |
Not sure |
| Total |
62 |
8... |
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