Lec 2 Social Acceptance of Medical Biotechnology

SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF MEDICAL
BIOTECHNOLOGY
SADIA DIN
HEALTH BIOTECHNOLOGY
SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
 Modern biotechnology has been viewed by many as the frontier of the next
revolution. It is a powerful tool that presents a range of potential environmental,
social and economic benefits that demands rigorous oversight.
 However, because the advancement in biotechnology have been so rapid in the
past ten years, it has been the object of an intense and divisive debate in advanced
countries.
 This suggest that a major factor in the emergence of controversies surrounding
biotechnology has been the neglect of the needs, interests and concerns of the
primary stakeholders the commoners.
 Public perceptions, understanding and acceptance of GMOs can both promote and
hamper commercial introduction and adoption of new technologies
PUBLIC ACCEPTANCE OF VARIOU S APPLI-CATIONS OF
MODERN BIOTECHNOLOGY
 Whilst there have been much debate on the acceptance of genetic engineering, there is many evidences
that objections to the technology focus on specific applications of the technology than genetic
engineering.
 The consumer attitudes towards gene transfers are moderated by the type of transfers; plant to plant gene
transfers were generally more acceptable with animal-animal next, and animal-plant or human-animal
gene transfers the least acceptable.
 According to a survey, Americans found out that medical applications (leading to the development of
medicines and vaccines and genetic testing) were more acceptable compared to food or crop
biotechnology applications.
 The Asians were also less concerned about medical products of genetic engineering compared to
genetically modified food.
 The highest level of support is found for bacteria to clean oil spills followed by disease resistant crops
next, and less fat meat and better taste tomatoes while there was less support for enhancing milk
production in cows.
CROSS-CULTURAL DIFFERENCES
According to the cultural approach of risk research, the

evaluative process of risk perception is determined by the
norms, value systems and cultural idiosyncrasies of societies or
societal groups which is based on religion and traditions.
FACTORS AFFECTING PUBLIC ATTITUDE TOWARDS MODERN
BIOTECHNOLOGY
 An individual’s attitude towards a new technology depends on a number

of related factors such as his (or her) perception of its risks and benefits,
his socially communicated values and trusts in institutions representing
these technologies.
 The studies of public attitude towards biotechnology have many
similarities with risk perception studies based on psychometric methods.
PERCEIVED BENEFIT
 Several researchers have acknowledged the importance of perceived benefits in

determining acceptability of biotechnology applications.
 As much as the benefit is associated with the idea of biotechnology; will increase the
chances of its acceptance.
 For example antibiotics production from bacterial cloning is more acceptable as
compared to genetically modified crops.
PERCEIVED RISK
 Although perceived benefits of GM foods and crops are important in

determining their public acceptability but knowledge of the amount of
benefits or extent of benefits alone is not sufficient to determine public
reaction.
 If the perception of risks related to any technology is sufficiently high, no
amount of benefits is liable to make it acceptable.
RISK ACCEPTANCE
The harsh reality with modern technologies that benefits of

technology are always accompanied by some kind of risks
which posed serious dilemmas for societies.
Policy-makers have been turning to risk-benefit analysis, an
offshoot of cost-benefit analysis as the basic of decision-making
methodology for societal risk taking
MORAL CONCERNS
 The societal and individual risk perceptions are proportional to a system of moral values.
 Individuals were willing to accept some level of risk if the product was deemed worthy and was not
morally objectionable.
 Of the variables studied, usefulness, riskiness and morality, it was found that moral acceptability of
biotechnology was the strongest predictor of support for biotechnology.
 Basic categories of moral or ethical concerns regarding modern biotechnology fall into two classes:
intrinsic and extrinsic (Comstock, 2000; Hamid, 2000).
 Extrinsic objection refers to the concerns regarding the possible risks of different application of
biotechnology.
 On the other hand, intrinsic objection allege that the process of modern biotechnology is objectionable
in itself.
 This belief is associated with the unnaturalness claim, changing nature and to play ‘God”.
ISSUES REALATED TO BIOTECH
MEDICINE
PROTECTING HUMAN SUBJECTS IN CLINICAL TRIALS
 This issue has generated considerable debate since 1999, when 18-year-old Jesse
Gelsinger died while participating in a gene therapy trial at the University of
Pennsylvania.
 The institution was widely criticized for failing to disclose crucial information on
informed consent documents, relaxing criteria for accepting volunteers, and enrolling
volunteers who were ineligible.
 The episode prompted a great deal of soul-searching among researchers and
regulators, and many universities began implementing new standards as a result of the
harsh spotlight that was cast on the clinical trial world.
AFFORDABILITY
 The rising cost of healthcare — and the cost of medications in particular — is a

political hot potato and will remain so.
 The ethical concerns are likely to get still more heated when the value of expensive
biotech treatments for chronic illnesses is debated. After all, a needed pill for
cholesterol might cost $3 daily, which amounts to nearly $1,100 per year. Compare
that to a biologic that carries a $20,000-per-year price tag — or something even more
costly.
PRIVACY
 Talk about a Pandora’s box. Protecting patient privacy is a growing concern, thanks to
technology that is making it possible to decode the human genome.
 But as scientists become adept at deciphering a person’s genetic composition, it is
increasingly likely that compromising information about a person’s future health is
going to become available.
 This creates enormous problems. For instance, it may become possible to know that a
5-year-old is going to develop serious heart disease later in life, but does a
prospective employer have the right to know that? How will this knowledge affect the
individual’s ability to obtain a job, insurance, or a mortgage? Should such information
be available to insurers and others? This is a thorny problem destined to become only
thornier.
STEM CELLS RESEARCH
Stem cell research promises great good and is a worthy

scientific priority as long as we pursue it ethically.
Obtaining stem cells from people without seriously harming
people in the process can be ethical. However, obtaining stem
cells from human embryos cannot be ethical because it
necessarily involves destroying those embryos.
BIOTERRORISM
 A biological attack, or bioterrorism, is the intentional release of viruses,

bacteria, or other germs that can sicken or kill people, livestock, or crops.
 The life of people should save rather than to heavily fund such kind of
project.
THE END

Lec 2 Social Acceptance of Medical Biotechnology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lec 2 Social Acceptance of Medical Biotechnology

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Lec 2 Social Acceptance of Medical Biotechnology

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE OF MEDICAL

According to the cultural approach of risk research, the

 An individual’s attitude towards a new technology depends on a number

 Several researchers have acknowledged the importance of perceived benefits in

 Although perceived benefits of GM foods and crops are important in

The harsh reality with modern technologies that benefits of

 The rising cost of healthcare — and the cost of medications in particular — is a

Stem cell research promises great good and is a worthy

 A biological attack, or bioterrorism, is the intentional release of viruses,

You might also like