People believe Biotechnology enhances lives, even if they’re not sure what it is
Are the products and benefits of biotechnology often seen but not heard about? That was the thought raised by an interesting survey I came across the other day on the subject.
About 500 adults in the Chicago, Illinois area took part in the telephone survey. The survey was conducted on behalf of health care company Abbott Laboratories, a major sponsor of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) 2006 convention, held in Chicago early last week.
According to the survey results, about 60 percent of those surveyed said they were unfamiliar with the term “biotechnology.” Even individuals who have heard of the term were a bit vague about its meaning, with one in ten of the respondents (about 13 percent) able to generally define biotechnology as “the use of biology and technology.” Approximately one-third of the respondents declined to attempt giving any definition at all.
However, the majority of the respondents believe that biotechnology can enhance lives. According to the results, about 70 percent of those surveyed agreed that biotechnology brings better medicine to their lives, 85 percent said it is likely to be an important source of new medicine in the next twenty years, and 80 percent of the respondents said that biotechnology will likely provide new drug therapies, including ones to fight cancer, as well as create new tests to be used in the detection of certain diseases.
In addition, nearly 70 percent of those surveyed believe that it is likely that biotechnology contributes to the economy of the state.
The results also showed that 48 percent of the adults surveyed say they might have used a product created through biotechnology, compared to 24 percent of the respondents who said they don’t think they’ve used such a biotech product. In addition, about 17 percent of those surveyed “definitely” have a lot of confidence that they have used a product created through biotechnology. Approximately 20 percent of those surveyed listed medication as a biotechnology product they have used, 14 percent have said they’ve eaten genetically modified foods, and 12 percent of the respondents said they’ve used biotech detergent, soap, and hair care products.
So, why is there a general lack of knowledge among the public about biotechnology? I believe the reason for this lack of knowledge is that individuals just don’t realize they are surrounded by biotechnology in their everyday lives, whether it’s the foods they consume, the medicines they take, or driving past a local farmer’s field of genetically modified crops every day. In addition, I think the media also plays a role in this lack of knowledge. For the most part, the media is not always interested in reporting on positive developments regarding biotechnology, but rather on protests against the technology. Sensationalism and negativity often capture the public’s interest more so than the good that a certain technology, in this case biotechnology, can do.
While this survey may only represent a small portion of the public, I firmly believe the results are showing a continual change in the public’s feelings and attitude toward biotechnology. I believe the public is becoming more accepting of biotechnology and are embracing the benefits that biotech products can bring to their daily lives. Perhaps in this case, maybe the old saying does hold true...seeing is believing.
