BIOTECHNOLOGY ISSUES: SUMMARY

PUBLIC PERCEPTION ISSUES IN BIOTECHNOLOGY

PROJECT SUMMARY

The goal of this study was to identify specific issues of concern to the general public, and the perception of those issues, that related to agricultural and environmental applications of biotechnology. Four hundred and eleven primary sources (widely available to the public) consisting of surveys, newspapers, and popular press magazine articles were examined to reveal common threads of public concern and perceived attitudes about science, the environment, and potential impacts of biotechnology. In addition, 216 secondary sources (less available to the public) consisting of regulatory documents, science journals, and conference proceedings were evaluated separately for purposes of comparison to the issues developed from the primary sources. The issues were generated by tabulating topics from the primary sources and compiling the results into common themes through identifying prevalent ideas and collective statements. A frequency index, based on a psychometric modeling technique, was used as an indication of the measure of importance or emphasis of an issue to the general public.

Twenty-five specific issues, and a rating of their relative level of importance, were developed under eight general topics. Specific issues were presented in a question form to represent the type of questions most frequently asked about biotechnology by the public. Based on the frequency index, the public was highly interested in food safety and labeling issues, all aspects of genetically engineered animals, the regulatory process (but poorly understood the concept of risk assessment), and biotechnology education (but was vague on the types of education programs needed). There was only moderate interest in engineered plants (when food issues were considered separately), engineered microbes (relating to field releases and exposure), and the impact of biotechnology on farming practices. Interest in international biotechnology was modest and centered on relationships between industrialized and developing nations. The following table and figures illustrate some of the trends found in this study.

Table of Topics and Issues

Frequency Scores for Type of Biotechnology Product

Issues with Differences Between Type of Source

Issues Appearing Most Frequently in the Popular Press

It is hoped that identification of these public concerns will lead to open discussion that will be followed by development of potential solutions and specific recommendations to address these concerns.