Huge survey tests people's attitudes towards potential future biomedical technologies.
Most people in the United States are more worried than enthusiastic about the prospect of scientific advances such as gene editing and brain-chip implants, a survey of thousands suggests. The Pew Research Center in Washington DC asked 4,726 US people about the potential uses of three biomedical technologies that it classified as ‘potential human enhancement’: gene editing to reduce disease risk in babies; brain implants to enhance concentration and brain processes, and transfusions of synthetic blood to improve strength and stamina. (None of these procedures are a reality, but the underlying technologies are being researched.)
Those who took the survey were overwhelmingly wary about all of the ideas. In each case, more than 60% said that they would be worried about the technologies, and fewer than half expressed enthusiasm about them — with the prospect of brain implants prompting the most concern and least excitement. More than 70% thought that the procedures would become available before they were well understood or officially deemed safe. Around one-third thought the technologies were morally unacceptable, and about 70% were concerned that such enhancements would widen social divides — for instance, because initially only wealthy people would be able to afford them. Respondents were not generally familiar with these ideas for enhancement: only 38% had heard about the topic of brain implants, and just 22% had heard of the concept of synthetic blood. Gene editing was more familiar: 57% had heard or read about it. Among those who had read at least a little about gene editing, more than half said that it was something they would want for their baby — but among those who hadn’t, 37% felt that way.
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Gaind, N. Brain implants and gene-editing enhancements worry US public. Nature (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nature.2016.20350
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nature.2016.20350