Bilbao, Spain. Most scientific and technological advances tend to take their place silently in society until general awareness reaches a critical level (usually after the fact). Biotechnology often finds itself the center of public debate and regulatory attention from the start, due partly to the moral issues posed by many of its applications. Stem cell research is one example, garnering extensive comments and debate by by public officials and pundits from many corners of society. But what do ordinary citizens have to say on the subject?

 

In the Second BBVA Foundation International Study on Attitudes to Biotechnology, the BBVA Foundation performed an in-depth comparative analysis of the attitudes of citizens towards research with embryos for the purpose of obtaining stem cells. Survey respondents were drawn from 12 European countries plus Israel, Japan, and the United States.

 

 

Among the questions analyzed the extent to which public opinion has been informed about stem cells, expectations and reservations regarding research with embryonic stem cells, and — depending on the origin of the embryos — any differences in support for such research.

 

 

 

Information was gathered through 1,500 face-to-face interviews in each country with subjects aged 18 and over (around 22,500 interviewees in all) conducted between April 2007 and February 2008. The design and analysis of the survey were the work of the Department of Social Studies and Public Opinion of the BBVA Foundation.

 

The second study in the series centers on attitudes towards one biotechnology application: research with embryos for the purpose of obtaining stem cells. In particular, it analyzes how far public opinion is informed about stem cells, expectations and reservations regarding research with embryonic stem cells and differences in support for such research depending on the origin of the embryos used. Attention also goes to the attitudes held on the creation of hybrid embryos for stem cell research.

 

Public understanding of the nature of stem cells

 

The data show that the percentage of the population that admit having heard or read anything about this kind of cell was notably uneven across the survey countries. In terms of basic awareness (they heard or read about stem cells):

As well as information about stem cells, the survey enquired about how far citizens understood the properties of such cells and the procedures used for obtaining them. The results point to a moderate understanding of stem cell properties:

In contrast, people had a poor understanding about how stem cells are extracted and the consequences for the embryo, with percentages

Views about research with stem cells

 

In most societies there is a broad consensus around the usefulness of research with few-day-old human embryos in order to obtain stem cells. The mean agreement score with the idea that such research is very useful stood higher than the midpoint (5 on a scale from 0 to 10) in all countries except Austria, and was upwards of 6 points in nine of the fifteen countries, with Denmark and Sweden out in front.

 

But this overall perception of usefulness does not rule out feelings of risk or moral dilemmas. Hence the data show considerable reservations about the risks entailed by researching with human embryos that are a few days old for the purpose of obtaining stem cells. There is general disagreement with the idea that this application poses no serious risks, with mean agreement scores below the midpoint (5) in eleven of the fifteen countries. The citizens perceiving least risk are the Danish and the Dutch, with Austrians, Americans and Japanese lined up at the other extreme.

 

The moral or immoral nature of the application meets with divided opinions among survey countries.

Possible medical benefits

 

Debate and regulations regarding research with embryonic stem cells try to weigh up the medical benefits that may be obtained in future (the end pursued) against the moral reservations felt about this kind of research (the means utilized).

 

When the possible medical benefits deriving from stem cell research are opposed in abstract terms to the rights of the embryo, opinions are divided both between and within countries:

When the potential medical benefits are spelled out as treatments for what are seen as serious diseases (Alzheimer's, diabetes, or Parkinson's), a majority in all countries declare themselves in favor of such research. The mean agreement with the assertion that

was above the midpoint in every country with the exception of Austria, and exceeded 6 points in nine cases, with Spanish and Czech citizens agreeing most strongly.

 

Besides moral objections, this kind of research meets with other reservations to do with ideas of what is natural or unnatural and concern about interfering with or altering the balance of nature. Citizens in most of the survey countries tended to agree that

with agreement firmest in Austria, Germany, Israel, and Poland.

 

There is also widespread concern that this kind of research may lead to other more dubious uses. The idea that

meets with considerable approval even in the countries favorably disposed to this application. The consensus round this view is especially marked in France, Germany and Japan.

 

At the same time, research using embryonic stem cells touches on the moral or ethical framework of each individual. In this sense, moral criteria of religious inspiration are a key explanatory vector. In a context of plural opinions, the data show that

In Spain, opinions are quite sharply divided:

Acceptance of the use of embryos depending on their origin

 

Public debate and regulatory attention concerning research with stem cells has recently crystallized around two concrete scenarios:

Citizens in most survey countries make differing judgments on these two scenarios, with acceptance of the use of spare embryos in all cases greater than that of embryos created for research.

Creation of hybrid embryos

 

Faced with a shortage of human embryos for use in advancing stem cell research, British scientists have sought official permission to create hybrid embryos. In September 2007, the UK agency regulating embryo research and fertility treatments, the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA), approved the creation of hybrid embryos for the purpose of obtaining stem cells for biomedical research. The technique in question involves the implanting of the nucleus of an adult human cell into the egg of an animal from which the nucleus has been previously extracted.

 

The BBVA Foundation survey also questioned citizens about their attitudes to such advances. The creation of hybrid embryos causes divided reactions both between and within countries.

Predominant in most countries is the fear that the technique could get out of control and lend itself to dangerous uses.

 

 

To create link towards this article on your website,
copy and paste the text below in your page.

<style type="text/css"><!--.quote {width:400px; padding: 6px; border: solid 1px #456B8F; font: 11px helvetica, verdana, sans-serif; color: #222222; background-color: #ffffff}.quote a {font: 13px arial, serif; color: #003399; text-decoration: underline}.quote a:hover {color: #FF9900; }//--></style><div style="float:left;padding:5px;"><img src="http://ts-si.org/images/stories/PollTaker.jpg" width="125" alt="" /></div><div class="quote"><a href="http://ts-si.org/horizons/3204-biotechnology-public-attitudes-on-stem-cell-research" target="_blank">Biotechnology: Public Attitudes On Stem Cell Research</a><br />Thursday, 15 May 2008<div align="right" style="width:400px"><p style="text-align:right;"><a href="http://ts-si.org/" target="_blank">TS-Si.org</a></p></div></div>

Preview :

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | larger

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment