Public Acceptance of Modern Biotechnology

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. It has been suggested that a major factor in the emergence of controversies surrounding biotech- nology has been the neglect of the needs, interests and concerns of the primary stakeholders the commoners. Public percep- tions, understanding and acceptance of modern biotechnology can both promote and hamper its commercial introduction and adoption. Modern biotechnology has been classified as a complex emerging issue that exhibits high salience combined with limited knowledge on part of the public. Various studies have shown that consumer acceptance of modern biotechnology tend to be conditional and dependent on many factors. This paper will review the acceptance of various applications of modern biotechnology worldwide, cross-cultural differences, factors affecting public acceptance and models for public acceptance of modern biotechnology.

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