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The Biotech Credibility Ladder
Biotechnology is a powerful tool which can enhance many aspects of our lives, yet it is also a field shrouded by controversies. This is mainly due to the novelty of the technology, the scaremongering of opponents, and lack of understanding and awareness among the public. We are not short of information on biotech. A quick search on Google gives us 52,900,000 hits when the keyword ‘biotechnology’ is used. This comes from various sources and the tone is different based on the sources. There are both positive and negative approaches to this technology. The question is whom do you trust? In the USA and Singapore, for instance, the government authorities are regarded as highly credible and the public trust the decisions taken by their governments. However, the same is not true for Europe. Due to the BSE scare and the strong presence of Green NGOs, government regulatory bodies are not favoured by the public. NGOs seem to enjoy more credibility. There are various stakeholders who are involved in the dissemination of information on biotechnology and whom the public consult in making decisions. Let us take this poll to see who sits at the top of the credibility ladder. |