AUTHOR=McFadden Brandon R. , Rumble Joy N. , Stofer Kathryn A. , Folta Kevin M. 

TITLE=U.S. public opinion about the safety of gene editing in the agriculture and medical fields and the amount of evidence needed to improve opinions

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

VOLUME=Volume 12 - 2024

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/bioengineering-and-biotechnology/articles/10.3389/fbioe.2024.1340398

DOI=10.3389/fbioe.2024.1340398

ISSN=2296-4185

ABSTRACT=Implementation of gene editing in agriculture and medicine hinges on public acceptance. The objectives of this study were to explore U.S. public opinion about gene editing in agricultural and medical fields and to provide more insight into the relationship between opinions about the safety of gene editing and the potential impact of evidence to improve opinions about safety. Data were from two U.S. samples, 1,442 respondents in 2021 and 3,125 respondents in 2022. Results indicated that respondents in both samples were more familiar, more likely to have an opinion about safety, and more positive about the safety of gene editing in the agricultural field than in the medical field. Also, familiarity was more closely associated with opinions about safety than the strength of opinions. These data may inform more effective strategies for communication about these technologies.