Biotechnology and Public opinion: The efficacy of using public engagement as a policy tool

Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) are a controversial topic in recent years: if the scientific community has largely accepted the validity and safety of using this biotechnology in the food industry, the public opinion still shows a certain suspicion and fear. The legislator is interested to know how public opinion could be engaged and what policy decisions regarding the assessment of the risks and benefits of GM animals and derived products might be addressed. This paper focuses on a Citizens’ Jury event organized in Parma (Italy) in 2012 in the context of the EU project PEGASUS (Public Perception of Genetically modified Animals – Science, Utility and Society, 7th FP). The main goal of the Citizens’ Jury was to address public perspectives and demonstrates ‘best practice’ in public engagement in order to develop future policy recommendations regarding innovation in the area of GM animals. The process, the potential role of citizens’ juries to embrace public engagement about development and application of Genetically Modified (GM) animals in the food and pharmaceutical industry and significant results are here presented. In particular, two case studies has been presented: growth-enhanced GH transgenic salmon and polyclonal antibodies from transgenic rabbits.