Public Acceptance Of Biotechnology Depends On How Well Scientists Communicate The Facts

No matter how esoteric their pursuits may be, scientists cannot afford to be indifferent to public opinion. The nonscientific public, after all, strongly influences the direction of research and the disbursement of funding. And as scientific research is translated into product development, public acceptance can become the key determinant of success. It follows that researchers are wise to keep the public well informed on scientific undertakings--especially those projects that could potentially be stymied or even aborted as a result of public ignorance, emotional prejudice, or fear. Serving as a case in point are the public's current attitudes toward food developed through biotechnology. Earlier this year, I and several colleagues from around the United States--with advice from an interdisciplinary team of scientists--conducted phone interviews on this subject with a representative sampling of 1,228 U.S. adults. We found that awareness and understanding of biotechnology were rather low. However, respondents expressed considerable interest in learning more about the field. Unfortunately, my colleagues and I learned, the respondents' perceptions were likely to be shaped by the mass media and discussions with family and friends, rather than by scientific publications or experts. In general, the respondents expressed fairly strong support for biotechnology. However, certain applications in agriculture and food production--particularly those involving animal development--were regarded suspiciously. The respondents indicated low acceptance, for example, of some technically possible gene transfer techniques--such as from human beings to farm animals--owing to their belief that transferring genes involves more than moving discrete traits via recombinant DNA. Concerning food produced through biotechnology, indications are that public acceptance currently is influenced by a wide range of factors: insufficient knowledge, lack of confidence in government, exclusion from decisions, moral objections, and perceived environmental and food safety concerns. Increasing acceptance of bioengineered food, meanwhile, will depend on such factors as perceived benefits, price, and risks associated with each product. As with other new developments, the public will be asking tough, but legitimate, questions about biotechnology. And those in the science community, among others, must be willing and able to provide satisfactory answers aimed at helping consumers make informed choices. What the consumer needs, for a start, is clearly presented information on such matters as basic biology, food production, risk management, and public policies. The role of the science community in educating the public is crucially important at this juncture; public opinion can change rapidly in response to increased product availability and dramatic media coverage. And, our survey found, people generally trust information from health professionals, scientists, farmers, and environmental groups, while having comparatively little trust in the pronouncements of government and industry. Consumers must be confident that the products of biotechnology are safe and effective, as well as ethically and socially acceptable. If the gap between public acceptance and technological advancement becomes too large, the biotech enterprise will inevitably have to deal with attempts by outsiders to retard the pace of research and development. At the very least, scientists and other decision-makers need to more carefully consider consumer response to different applications before significant investments are made in applied research and product development. Without an energetic, proactive effort on the part of scientific individuals and organizations to communicate the facts of biotechnology to the public, the future of biotechnology is by no means assured. The task of educating might turn out to be costly and time-consuming. However, lack of education is likely to result in consumer rejection of health-enhancing and environmentally beneficial products. Thomas J. Hoban is an associate professor in the department of sociology and anthropology at North Carolina State University in Raleigh.

Public Acceptance Of Biotechnology Depends On How Well Scientists Communicate The Facts

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