The vast majority of Americans believe that cloning designed specifically to cause the birth of a human being should be illegal in this country, a Gallup Poll shows.
The poll, taken in early January, found that 86 percent of U.S. adults are against that form of human cloning while 11 percent think it should be legal.
It was taken just after a company called Clonaid claimed to have cloned the first human baby. The claim has not been verified.
Younger Americans hold a more favorable view of the legality of a birth by human cloning, with 15 percent of 18-to 29 year-olds supporting it.
In comparison, about half as many adults ages 65 and older – 7 percent – agree with that view.
Ten percent of Americans ages 30 to 49 and 11 percent of those ages 50 to 64 support that kind of human cloning.
Researchers found that women are less likely than men to say that cloning resulting in the birth of a human should be legal.
Only seven percent of women were in support of the idea of human cloning in comparison with 15 percent of men.
The poll results are based on telephone interviews of 1,000 adults ages 18 and older.
The poll was conducted Jan. 3-5. The results of the poll have a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
(RNS)
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