Most Danes support use of GM plants for pharmaceutical purposes

Sep 29 2009

An international survey shows that most Danes support using GM plants for production of pharmaceuticals. In this respect Danes are in line with citizens from the U.S., Israel, Spain, Poland and the Czech Republic.

On the other hand citizens from Austria, Germany and Japan do not approve of the technology.
Approximately 60% of the Danes in the survey believe that it is okay to use genetically modified plants to produce pharmaceuticals, despite the fact that a majority at the same time thinks that the technique is against nature and that the products are representing multinational interests.

Confidence in the Danish authorities
The Danes have great confidence in the authorities, when it comes to regulating and controlling the cultivation of GM plants planned to be used for pharmaceuticals. That is what 67% of the respondents believe, while only 31% think it is acceptable for plants to be grown in open fields even under very strict rules for separation, i.e. several kilometers away from other plants of the same species.

When it comes to using genetically modified animals to produce medicines, there is less approval in all countries. The least critical are the Spaniards, the Israelis, the Czechs and the Danes; only 38% of the Danes believe that this technology should be supported.

Risø scientist is co-author
The comprehensive survey has been pulished 'on-line' in the journal EMBO reports. First author is the Spanish sociologist Raphael Pardo. Rikke Bagger Jørgensen from the Biosystems Division at Risø DTU is one of the seven co-authors.

Shortcut to new pharmeceuticals
The technology, using genetically modified plants and animals as production platforms for medicine, is interesting, because the pharmaceuticals can be produced faster, more flexibly and profitably. Examples of this form of medicine production is ATryn (antithrombin alfa), produced by genetically modfied goats. Atryn is used to treat blood clots.

22,500 participated in the survey
The survey included 22,500 citizens. 1,500 from each of 15 industrial countries, 12 European countries, Israel, Japan and the USA. They were asked about their opinion of genetically modified plants and animals producing pharmaceutical proteins. The survey shows a very nuanced picture of people's attitudes towards genetically modified organisms for pharmaceutical purposes.