How to Assess How to Assess People’s Views of Biotechnology:People’s Views of Biotechnology:

Lessons from JapanLessons from Japan

Masakazu Inaba and Darryl Macer

Institute of Biological Sciences

University of Tsukuba, Japan

Outline

Trends of Japanese attitudes towards specific applications from survey in 2000 and 2003

Interviews in 2000 to explore deeper reasons behind people’s attitudes

Mapping of ideas from an interview

2000 and 2003 Survey in Japan

Data: Self evaluation attitudes and open comments on

applications of biotech from the 2000* and 2003

survey over Japan （ Respondents: 297 public, 370

scientists in 2000, 357 public in 2003 ）

Method: Scoring evaluation scales, categorized open comments

Statistical test: Chi-square test*Reference ： Nature Biotechnology 18 (2000), 945-7

Comments 30-40 categories ７ groups

Questions on Agricultural Applications

1. Modern biotechnology in the production of foods and drinks （ biotech food ）

2. Gene insertion into a crop from other species to obtain pest resistance to insect pests （ pest-resistant crops ）

1. Bacteria inserted human genes to produce medicines (GM medicines)

2. Transgenic mouse with cancer genes for research use (transgenic cancer mouse)

3. Transgenic pig with human heart for xenotransplantation (xenotransplantation)

4. Genetic testing using embryos for diseases such as cystic fibrosis (genetic testing)

Questions on Medical Applications

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

P97

P20

00

P20

03 P97

P20

00

P20

03 P97

P20

00

P20

03 P97

P20

00

P20

03 P97

P20

00

P20

03 P97

P20

00

P20

03

Food Pest -r es i s ta n tMedicines Cancer mouse Xenotr an s p la n tGenetic testing

Public awareness of biotech is increasingPublic awareness of biotech is increasing

Food Cancer mouseMedicinesPest-resistant Xenotransplant Genetic testing

1997 2000 2003

Scoring Algorithm－ Cases of ”Definitely Agree” －

Def.

agree

Agree

Disagree

Def.

disagree

＋２

＋１

－１

－２

－２

－１

＋１

＋２

Usefulness － Risk ＋ Encouragement ＝ Total

＋２

＋１

－１

－２

＋６

Scoring Algorithm－ Cases of ”Definitely Disagree” －

Def.

agree

Agree

Disagree

Def.

disagree

＋２

＋１

－１

－２

－２

－１

＋１

＋２

Usefulness － Risk ＋ Encouragement ＝ Total

＋２

＋１

－１

－２

ー６

Scoring Algorithm－ Cases of ”Conditional

Agree/Disagree” －

Def.

agree

Agree

Disagree

Def.

disagree

＋２

＋１

－１

－２

－２

－１

＋１

＋２

Usefulness － Risk ＋ Encouragement ＝ Total

＋２

＋１

－１

－２

＋１

－１

Scoring Result of 2000 Survey

-1.0

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

P S P S P S P S P S P S

food pest-resistant medicines cancer mouse xenotransplant genetic testing

Usefulness – Risk + Encouragement

-1.50

-1.00

-0.50

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

P97 P2000 P2003 P97 P2000 P2003 P97 P2000 P2003 P97 P2000 P2003

Food Medicines Xenotran s p la n t Genetic testing

Trends of Japanese Attitudes towards BiotechTrends of Japanese Attitudes towards Biotech

Food Medicines Xenotransplant Genetic Testing

Grouped Categories

Human Benefits Balanced View Risky Ethical Issues No Need Unnatural Personal Choice

30-40 categories

７ groups

Summary of Reasons for UtilitySummary of Reasons for Utility

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

Gen

etic

test

ing

Xen

otra

nspl

ant

Med

icin

esFo

od

Human Benefits Balanced View Risk Concerns Ethical Concerns We Don’t Need Unnatural Feelings Comsumers Choice

Summary of Reasons for RiskSummary of Reasons for Risk

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

Gen

etic

test

ing

Xen

otra

nspl

ant

Med

icin

esFo

od

Risk Concerns Unnatural Feelings Ethical Concerns Balanced View Human Benefits

Summary of Reasons for Moral acceptabilitySummary of Reasons for Moral acceptability

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

Gene

tic te

stin

gXe

notr

ansp

lant

Human Benefits Balanced View Risk Concerns We don’t know Unnatural Feelings Ethical ConcernsWe don’t need

Summary of Reasons for Overall encouragementSummary of Reasons for Overall encouragement

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

P2003

P2000

Gen

etic

test

ing

Xeno

trans

plan

tM

edic

ines

Food

Human Benefits Balanced View Risk Concerns We don’t need Unnatural Feelings Ethical Concerns

Interviews: Discourse AnalysisＡ　：・・・ I think we need to respect freedom of a human to bear

children and bring them up.Ｂ１： So, it means, whether it is possible to establish such a consens

us in a society.Ｂ２： For example, it is embarrassing if people in the society discri

minate handicapped babies as a social consensus, or if there is a policy to discriminate them, towards decision that such people, when people give births to handicapped babies.

Ｃ１：・・・ I agree with the use as far as such a personal will is guaranteed to be respected.

Ｂ３： Then, such a social consensus, if social consensus cannot be established in the light of social system, such like a system not to discriminate, it is not allowable to use it, I think.

Ｃ２： As long as such a thinking as a common sense can be established in individuals, I think it is good ・・・

An Example of Mapping IdeasAn Example of Mapping Ideas

Freedom of reproduction

Social acceptance needed

discrimination

Consensus about freedom of reproduction

Conditionalapproval

Individual

Society

–How people balance the benefits and risks of new technologies can be measured.

–There are different ways to conceptualize people’s ideas, e.g. discourse analysis and research is needed on how to map ideas.

ConclusionsConclusions