Paris

People in France still see science in a positive light despite the recent tempests over mad cow disease, HIV in blood, and genetically engineered food, according to a survey undertaken for the research ministry.

Of 1,000 adults surveyed by the polling organization Taylor Nelson Sofres, 53% said they most trusted scientists to control the progress and ethical use of science — far ahead of intellectuals and philosophers (19%), associations and trade unions (9%), or religious groups (6%). Politicians were most trusted by only 4%.

Roger-Gérard Schwartzenberg, the minister for research, said the results showed an urgent need to incorporate science more effectively into decision-making. There should be more debate of contemporary scientific issues, he said, and political parties and presidential candidates should increase the discussion of science in their manifestos.

When respondents were asked to choose priority areas, medical research came out on top, with 84% of the vote, followed by environmental science at 54% and energy research at 32%.

Nine-tenths of those polled said research should be a priority for France, and two-thirds that the research budget should be increased; only 3% thought it should be reduced. A career in science was regarded as attractive by 84%.