Public Shows Support of Health and Medical Uses of Biotech in Australia

A study released by Biotechnology Australia, an Australian government agency, shows that gene technology in health and medical applications is gaining acceptance among the public. However, people have mixed beliefs about the quality of the regulation of biotechnology in Australia.

Key changes in attitudes since the last survey of public attitudes towards biotechnology in 2005 include:

• Support for using gene technology to produce medicines rose from 65% to 89%;
• The acceptability of using stem cells to conduct medical research and treat disease rose from 80% to 92%;
• Support for using gene technology to produce medicines by introducing genes from humans into bacteria rose from 42% to 55%; and
• Those who felt that biotechnology would improve our way of life in the future rose from 60% to 68%.

"Support for health and medical applications of biotechnology have always been higher than for food and agricultural applications, which is due to factors such as the perceived purpose of the research or products, and perceived strict regulation of health-related products," said Mr Craig Pennifold, Head of Biotechnology Australia.

Read the news article at http://www.biotechnology.gov.au/index.cfm?event=object.showContent&objectID=1AFA27DB-95B2-7E61-52937F1D1CE1C972.