Public are uneasy about biotechnology - surveys

The public is increasingly uncomfortable with biotechnology, according to four new surveys carried out in the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan and published in the latest issue of Nature Bio- technology.

Although the results vary from region to region, all show that the number of people expressing optimism about the future contribution of this technology continues to fall. The surveys suggest that public attitudes are shaped by the "moral acceptability" of specific biotechnology applications. They also indicate that the level of scientific knowledge has only scant effect on a person's attitude to biotechnology.

Biotechnology, particularly applied to genetically modified crops, is in widespread use in the US and for the most part, people there have not expressed significant interest or concern about its use. A survey conducted in April and May this year by Texas A&M University reflects this, with 53 per cent of respondents optimistic about the contribution of genetic engineering to modern life.

However, 30 per cent held the opposing view, putting biotechnology on a par with nuclear power. There has also been some erosion of public trust in the US government's regulatory bodies.

The University of Calgary conducted a survey in Canada last February, sampling public attitudes to cloning. It revealed a strong link between public disquiet about cloning and negative attitudes towards biotechnology in general. The Calgary researchers suggested that cloning was rejected as being "against nature" and the source of a "global disaster" if something went wrong, sentiments that are often expressed by opponents of biotechnology.

A large-scale Euro-barometer survey of 16,082 citizens in 16 European countries was conducted last November. Interpretation provided by researchers at the London School of Economics suggested people liked some themes within biotechnology and hated others.

There was strong opposition expressed to GM foods, but support for medical and environmental applications. Concerns about GM technology split further with greater worry noted about GM foods as opposed to GM crops, which, the LSE argued, indicated that food safety concerns outweighed environmental concerns.

The results also showed that there was no "European" position on GM technology per se, with resistance to biotechnology applications varying from country to country.

The survey, conducted by the University of Tsukuba in Japan, involved two small samples - 297 punters and 370 scientists. It revealed that support for biotechnology was waning among punters, even environmental applications, although 59 per cent of respondents still expressed optimism about the technology.

Interestingly the survey of scientists indicated that their own perceptions of biotechnology closely mirrored those of the public, even if they were more optimistic generally about its potential.