According to this new issue of Observa Science in Society Observatory, the majority of Italians continue to show a positive attitude toward medical biotechnologies: 92% think that the research in this field should be continued in view of possible therapeutic applications. In particular, 60% would give priority to stem cell research and studies oriented to the early diagnosis of genetic diseases. On the other hand, scepticism remains strong in the area of agricultural applications: two people out of three (66%) think that GM food is particularly dangerous, and more than a half consider them useless.
Still, more than one Italian over two is in favour of continuing research on agricultural biotechnologies (59%), provided decisions are shared at the European level (33% believe that the European Union should regulate this field) and more public involvement is achieved (20% think that decisions on biotechnologies should be taken by “all citizens”). These and other data and comments on the new article by Massimiano Bucchi and Giuseppe Pellegrini, published in TuttoscienzeTecnologia – La Stampa, on the 2nd of March.
