Genetically modified (GM) crops have been widely adopted by American farmers. Mainly two traits, ... more Genetically modified (GM) crops have been widely adopted by American farmers. Mainly two traits, herbicide resistance and insect resistance, constitute the area of GM crops. The commercial success of these crops derives from benefits in farm management and more generally from greater efficiency in production. European population surveys continue to show widespread opposition to GM crops and other applications of
Experience has shown that both the assessment and implementation of new technologies in food prod... more Experience has shown that both the assessment and implementation of new technologies in food production are challenged by negative assessments of the technologies by the public. This article seeks to deepen our understanding of the concerns that may underlie negative attitudes to various kinds of risk reduction strategy in meat production, with the aim of distinguishing between forms of risk reduction in terms of their acceptability. The paper reports the result of a focus-group study. Six focus groups with Danish citizens (N: 5-9) were conducted during May 2006. The design of the groups took a bottom-up approach and included elements of meat quality, meat safety and risk reduction strategies. The study shows the dilemma risk reduction presents to members of the public. On the one hand, people want safe meat; on the other, the study showed that with the exception of hygiene practices, people generally have an aversion to risk reduction strategies. Some variation was found, however, in the rejection of the strategies. Thus, more acceptable strategies are characterised by a low degree of technological interference, and by being close to the consumer's experience in everyday life and/or familiar to the participants' picture of meat production. It is also important that the strategy does not alter the quality of the end-product (meat) in an unfavourable way. The implications of the results and the inherent dilemma for meat safety policy formation are discussed.
Over recent decades, public participation initiatives have been employed across Europe often with... more Over recent decades, public participation initiatives have been employed across Europe often with a focus on science and technology issues. In the area of new food technologies most participation initiatives have centered on genetically modified foods. By contrast, in the area of functional foods--where significant EU legislation was recently passed--we have seen no initiatives towards public inclusion. This applies also for Denmark, the country which is the focus of this article. Based on an interview study with members of the Danish parliament the article examines why such considerable differences exist between initiatives to involve the public, and it challenges the role that public participation plays in Danish politics. The main claim made in the article is that although politicians argue for the value and relevance of public participation their willingness to initiate participatory processes is overruled by their concern with playing by the rules of the political game.
The cloning of Dolly the sheep gave rise to a widespread call for limits on interference with lif... more The cloning of Dolly the sheep gave rise to a widespread call for limits on interference with life. Until recently, the main limits were technical: what it is possible to do. Now scientists are faced with ethical limits as well: what it is acceptable to do. In this context, we take ethics to involve systematic and rational reflection on moral issues raised in the public sphere. The concerns of the general public are not necessarily valid, but they are the best point of departure if the discussion is to lead to a socially robust framework for setting limits to the use of animal biotechnology. To assess public understanding, we examine two sources of data: Eurobarometer surveys from 1991 to 2002 and a qualitative interview study carried out in Denmark in 2000. Based on these sources, we formulate, and then discuss closely, the following concerns: dangers to human health and the environment, animal welfare, animal integrity, and usefulness. In the final part of the article, it is proposed that a principle of proportionality should be the foundation for socially robust applications of animal biotechnology. Only in cases where the usefulness of the technology can be said to outweigh countervailing moral concerns, as in biomedical research, will applications of animal biotechnology stand up to scrutiny in the public sphere.
ABSTRACT In Europe the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in food production has so far faile... more ABSTRACT In Europe the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in food production has so far failed to gain wide public approval. Ordinary people are concerned about issues not covered by the existing regulation, including usefulness and unnaturalness. In response, particularly to worries about unnaturalness, biotechnologists have suggested that inserted genes should derive only from the plant itself, or from close relatives. This paper examines public perceptions of these so-called ‘cisgenic crops’ and asks whether the public shares the idea that they are less unnatural and thus more acceptable than transgenic plants. Using five focus group interviews, we identified five lines of argument about naturalness with a bearing on the assessment of cisgenic crops as well as GM crops in general. The paper concludes that, depending on perceptions of naturalness, some people would agree that cisgenic crops are more acceptable than their transgenic counterparts. The finding that ordinary people value different aspects of naturalness may be relevant to a broader audience than just those interested in gene technology. It cautions against a simplistic interpretation of what counts as ‘natural’.
Depending on the perceived balance of risk and benefit, and on the perceived unnaturalness, some ... more Depending on the perceived balance of risk and benefit, and on the perceived unnaturalness, some applications of gene technology appear more acceptable to the public than others. This study asks whether a person's knowledge of biology affects their assessment of these factors differently. A random sample of the Danish population (n = 2000) was presented with questionnaires. The respondent's knowledge was measured by a number of textbook questions on biology. The results indicated that knowledge increases the likelihood that a person will have differentiated opinions on medical and agricultural applications, but decreases the likelihood that he or she will differentiate between cisgenic and transgenic cereals. We discuss the implication that knowledge makes people more likely to base their acceptance on judgements of risks and benefits, rather than on judgements of naturalness. The article concludes that the effect of knowledge on acceptance cannot be generalised wholesale from one application, or method, to others.
Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 2012
ABSTRACT A number of attitudinal studies have examined support for the use of animals in research... more ABSTRACT A number of attitudinal studies have examined support for the use of animals in research. However, on the whole they have come to rather different conclusions. In our research, which is based on focus group discussions held in Denmark, we attempted to explain this variation by examining the way the relevant attitudes are formed. Although our participants had only limited knowledge of, and interest in, animal use in research, they were perfectly capable of developing reasoned attitudes to it by drawing on evaluative considerations concerning animal use in general. Furthermore, the evaluation of animal research involves a distinct experience of value conflict—between the possible human benefits, on one hand, and a concern for costs to the animal, on the other. Different ways of dealing with this conflict gives rise to different attitudinal stances on animal research: Disapprovers, Reserved, and Approvers. These stances, and their supporting lines of argument, are rather robust, as they are grounded in stable underlying values. However, at the same time they leave room for variable evaluations of different types of animal experiment. This facilitates shifts between disapproval and approval, especially for the Reserved who experience ambivalence. Future quantitative analyses should take into consideration that attitudes in the field of animal experimentation can be viewed (and measured) both at an underlying value-based level and at a context-specific level.
The study of animal welfare cannot be based entirely on science. For a number of assumptions of a... more The study of animal welfare cannot be based entirely on science. For a number of assumptions of an ethical nature will it inevitably enter the study of how good or bad animals fare under different systems of animal production.In some cases, ethical assumptions may be uncontroversial, but they may also be the cause of disagreement. A case study is presented
The conflict between animal costs and human benefits has dominated public as well as academic deb... more The conflict between animal costs and human benefits has dominated public as well as academic debates about animal research. However, surveys of public perceptions of animal research rarely focus on this part of attitude formation. This paper traces the prevalence of different attitudes to animal research in the public when people are asked to take benefit and cost considerations into account concurrently. Results from the examination of two representative samples of the Danish public identify three reproducible attitude stances. Approximately 30-35% of people questioned approved of animal research quite strongly, and 15-20% opposed animal research. The remaining 50% were reserved in their views. Further studies will ideally use the measure developed here to make possible relatively fine-grained comparisons and understandings of differences between populations and changes in attitudes over time.
The aim of this study was to investigate the Danish public&am... more The aim of this study was to investigate the Danish public's support for publicly funded obesity treatment and prevention. It was also examined whether levels of support could be explained by dislike of obese people and/or the belief that those who are obese are personally responsible for their condition. A representative survey of members of the Danish public (N = 1,141) was conducted using a web-based questionnaire. The survey was designed to assess attitudes to public funding for obesity-related health care, and to investigate the impact, on those attitudes, of dislike of obese people, the perceived controllability of obesity, self-reported BMI, and additional attitudinal and socio-demographic characteristics. Public funding of some obesity treatments, such as weight-loss surgery, attracted only limited public support. A majority of the Danish public did support "softer" treatment interventions and preventive initiatives. Attitudes to the treatment of obesity were clearly best predicted by the belief that individuals are personally responsible for their own obesity. Dislike of obese persons had no direct effect on the preference for collective treatment initiatives and only a small effect on support for publicly funded obesity prevention. The high level of disapproval for publicly funded obesity treatment should be cause for concern for decision makers aiming to ensure equal access to health care. Since it is the belief that obese people are personally responsible which explains this disapproval, strategies for challenging public opinion on this issue are discussed.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study public acceptance of decontamination as a risk re... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study public acceptance of decontamination as a risk reduction strategy in meat production. Design/methodology/approach – A representative survey of the Danish population (n=1,104) was conducted during September 2007. The survey included dimensions of assessment of decontamination techniques and background variables of socio-economic status, food culture and safety profile. The data were
As in many other areas, there is a divide between lay and expert perceptions of risk within the f... more As in many other areas, there is a divide between lay and expert perceptions of risk within the food sector, and this can lead to disagreement over priorities in food risk management. The risk perception literature tends to stress that the parties involved in this disagreement have different concepts of risk and hence are bound more or less to talk at cross-purposes. This paper suggests an alternative analysis: In the light of moral theory, the conflicting perspectives can be understood as a genuine moral conflict. When this conflict is conceptualised, a rational dialogue becomes possible.
... J. Lassen et al.: Ethics and genetic engineering 265 Page 4. ... It has, for exam-ple, been p... more ... J. Lassen et al.: Ethics and genetic engineering 265 Page 4. ... It has, for exam-ple, been pointed out that many of the ``first generation'' GM crops are modified to resist herbicides that are less environmentally suspect than the ones already in use. ...
Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, 2002
In public debate GMPs are oftenreferred to as being unnatural or a violationof nature. Some peopl... more In public debate GMPs are oftenreferred to as being unnatural or a violationof nature. Some people have serious moralconcerns about departures from what is natural.Others are concerned about potential risks tothe environment arising from the combination ofhereditary material moving across naturalboundaries and the limits of scientificforesight of long-term consequences. To addresssome of these concerns we propose that anadditional element in
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2007
Over recent decades, public participation in technology assessment has spread internationally as ... more Over recent decades, public participation in technology assessment has spread internationally as an attempt to overcome or prevent societal conflicts over controversial technologies. One outcome of this new surge in public consultation initiatives has been the increased use of participatory consensus conferences in a number of countries. Existing evaluations of consensus conferences tend to focus on the modes of organization, as well as the outcomes, both procedural and substantial, of the conferences they examine. Such evaluations seem to rest on the assumption that this type of procedure has universally agreed goals and meanings, and that therefore consensus conferences can readily be interpreted and applied across national boundaries. This article challenges this approach to consensus conferences. The core of the article is a study of national differences in ideas about what constitutes legitimate goals for participatory arrangements. The study looks at three consensus conferences on GMOs, which took place in France, Norway, and Denmark. Drawing on this study, the article discusses the ways in which interpretations of the concept of participation; the value attributed to lay knowledge vs. technical expertise; as well as ideas about the role of the layperson, are all questions that prompt entirely different answers from country to country. Further, the article analyses these national differences within a theoretical framework of notions of democratic legitimacy.
Background: Individual, comprehensive and written informed consent is broadly considered an ethic... more Background: Individual, comprehensive and written informed consent is broadly considered an ethical obligation in research involving sampling of human material. In developing countries, however, local circumstances such as widespread illiteracy, low education, and hierarchical social structures complicate adherence to these standards. Consequently, researchers in such settings may modify the consent procedure to local circumstances to secure participation. To ethically assess such modified consent strategies, it is necessary to investigate to which extent practices are in accordance with the values underlying informed consent. Methods: Over a two-week period in April 2014, we conducted semi-structured interviews with researchers from a genetic research institute in rural Pakistan, and with families who had given blood samples for their research. Interviews with researchers focused on the institute’s requirements for consent, and the researchers’ strategies for and experiences with obtaining consent in the field. Interviews with donors focused on their motivations to donate samples, their experience of consent and donation, and what factors were central in the decision to give consent. Results: Researchers often reported modifying consent procedures to the local context: standardly employing oral and elder consent, and tailoring the information to the social education level of specific donor family. Central themes in donors’ accounts were the hope of getting something out of their participation, and their remarkably high level of trust in the researchers, as conducive to their decision to consent. Several donor accounts indicated a conflation of participation with diagnostic purposes, resulting in a therapeutic misconception. Conclusions: We argue that while building and maintaining trusting relationships in research – not least in developing countries – is important, strategies that serve this endeavor should be supplemented by efforts to ensure proper provision and understanding of relevant information, specifically about the nature of research, as well as measures for individual consent and opt-out.
In this paper, we address the issue of food risk management as practised in Western Europe. We be... more In this paper, we address the issue of food risk management as practised in Western Europe. We begin by considering how food risks are managed, and then go on to consider how well they are managed. There are multiple answers to the 'how well' question, which are related to the varied perspectives of the different key stakeholders -from the food risk managers and producers, to the general public and the media. Consequently, there is no clear answer to the question of quality. What our review does identify is two priorities relevant to our understanding of effective food risk management: first, a need for further research to determine the source and nature of the different evaluative perspectives, and second, a need for the key stakeholders to appreciate and understand the alternative perspectives in order to enhance the effectiveness of the food risk management process.
A plurality of concerns within the European Union triggers debates on innovations in agriculture ... more A plurality of concerns within the European Union triggers debates on innovations in agriculture and food production. The ethical assessment of new agricultural and food technologies has thus become important for governmental regulators, the general public and actors in all segments of the food chain.
Genetically modified (GM) crops have been widely adopted by American farmers. Mainly two traits, ... more Genetically modified (GM) crops have been widely adopted by American farmers. Mainly two traits, herbicide resistance and insect resistance, constitute the area of GM crops. The commercial success of these crops derives from benefits in farm management and more generally from greater efficiency in production. European population surveys continue to show widespread opposition to GM crops and other applications of
Experience has shown that both the assessment and implementation of new technologies in food prod... more Experience has shown that both the assessment and implementation of new technologies in food production are challenged by negative assessments of the technologies by the public. This article seeks to deepen our understanding of the concerns that may underlie negative attitudes to various kinds of risk reduction strategy in meat production, with the aim of distinguishing between forms of risk reduction in terms of their acceptability. The paper reports the result of a focus-group study. Six focus groups with Danish citizens (N: 5-9) were conducted during May 2006. The design of the groups took a bottom-up approach and included elements of meat quality, meat safety and risk reduction strategies. The study shows the dilemma risk reduction presents to members of the public. On the one hand, people want safe meat; on the other, the study showed that with the exception of hygiene practices, people generally have an aversion to risk reduction strategies. Some variation was found, however, in the rejection of the strategies. Thus, more acceptable strategies are characterised by a low degree of technological interference, and by being close to the consumer's experience in everyday life and/or familiar to the participants' picture of meat production. It is also important that the strategy does not alter the quality of the end-product (meat) in an unfavourable way. The implications of the results and the inherent dilemma for meat safety policy formation are discussed.
Over recent decades, public participation initiatives have been employed across Europe often with... more Over recent decades, public participation initiatives have been employed across Europe often with a focus on science and technology issues. In the area of new food technologies most participation initiatives have centered on genetically modified foods. By contrast, in the area of functional foods--where significant EU legislation was recently passed--we have seen no initiatives towards public inclusion. This applies also for Denmark, the country which is the focus of this article. Based on an interview study with members of the Danish parliament the article examines why such considerable differences exist between initiatives to involve the public, and it challenges the role that public participation plays in Danish politics. The main claim made in the article is that although politicians argue for the value and relevance of public participation their willingness to initiate participatory processes is overruled by their concern with playing by the rules of the political game.
The cloning of Dolly the sheep gave rise to a widespread call for limits on interference with lif... more The cloning of Dolly the sheep gave rise to a widespread call for limits on interference with life. Until recently, the main limits were technical: what it is possible to do. Now scientists are faced with ethical limits as well: what it is acceptable to do. In this context, we take ethics to involve systematic and rational reflection on moral issues raised in the public sphere. The concerns of the general public are not necessarily valid, but they are the best point of departure if the discussion is to lead to a socially robust framework for setting limits to the use of animal biotechnology. To assess public understanding, we examine two sources of data: Eurobarometer surveys from 1991 to 2002 and a qualitative interview study carried out in Denmark in 2000. Based on these sources, we formulate, and then discuss closely, the following concerns: dangers to human health and the environment, animal welfare, animal integrity, and usefulness. In the final part of the article, it is proposed that a principle of proportionality should be the foundation for socially robust applications of animal biotechnology. Only in cases where the usefulness of the technology can be said to outweigh countervailing moral concerns, as in biomedical research, will applications of animal biotechnology stand up to scrutiny in the public sphere.
ABSTRACT In Europe the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in food production has so far faile... more ABSTRACT In Europe the use of genetically modified (GM) crops in food production has so far failed to gain wide public approval. Ordinary people are concerned about issues not covered by the existing regulation, including usefulness and unnaturalness. In response, particularly to worries about unnaturalness, biotechnologists have suggested that inserted genes should derive only from the plant itself, or from close relatives. This paper examines public perceptions of these so-called ‘cisgenic crops’ and asks whether the public shares the idea that they are less unnatural and thus more acceptable than transgenic plants. Using five focus group interviews, we identified five lines of argument about naturalness with a bearing on the assessment of cisgenic crops as well as GM crops in general. The paper concludes that, depending on perceptions of naturalness, some people would agree that cisgenic crops are more acceptable than their transgenic counterparts. The finding that ordinary people value different aspects of naturalness may be relevant to a broader audience than just those interested in gene technology. It cautions against a simplistic interpretation of what counts as ‘natural’.
Depending on the perceived balance of risk and benefit, and on the perceived unnaturalness, some ... more Depending on the perceived balance of risk and benefit, and on the perceived unnaturalness, some applications of gene technology appear more acceptable to the public than others. This study asks whether a person's knowledge of biology affects their assessment of these factors differently. A random sample of the Danish population (n = 2000) was presented with questionnaires. The respondent's knowledge was measured by a number of textbook questions on biology. The results indicated that knowledge increases the likelihood that a person will have differentiated opinions on medical and agricultural applications, but decreases the likelihood that he or she will differentiate between cisgenic and transgenic cereals. We discuss the implication that knowledge makes people more likely to base their acceptance on judgements of risks and benefits, rather than on judgements of naturalness. The article concludes that the effect of knowledge on acceptance cannot be generalised wholesale from one application, or method, to others.
Anthrozoos: A Multidisciplinary Journal of The Interactions of People & Animals, 2012
ABSTRACT A number of attitudinal studies have examined support for the use of animals in research... more ABSTRACT A number of attitudinal studies have examined support for the use of animals in research. However, on the whole they have come to rather different conclusions. In our research, which is based on focus group discussions held in Denmark, we attempted to explain this variation by examining the way the relevant attitudes are formed. Although our participants had only limited knowledge of, and interest in, animal use in research, they were perfectly capable of developing reasoned attitudes to it by drawing on evaluative considerations concerning animal use in general. Furthermore, the evaluation of animal research involves a distinct experience of value conflict—between the possible human benefits, on one hand, and a concern for costs to the animal, on the other. Different ways of dealing with this conflict gives rise to different attitudinal stances on animal research: Disapprovers, Reserved, and Approvers. These stances, and their supporting lines of argument, are rather robust, as they are grounded in stable underlying values. However, at the same time they leave room for variable evaluations of different types of animal experiment. This facilitates shifts between disapproval and approval, especially for the Reserved who experience ambivalence. Future quantitative analyses should take into consideration that attitudes in the field of animal experimentation can be viewed (and measured) both at an underlying value-based level and at a context-specific level.
The study of animal welfare cannot be based entirely on science. For a number of assumptions of a... more The study of animal welfare cannot be based entirely on science. For a number of assumptions of an ethical nature will it inevitably enter the study of how good or bad animals fare under different systems of animal production.In some cases, ethical assumptions may be uncontroversial, but they may also be the cause of disagreement. A case study is presented
The conflict between animal costs and human benefits has dominated public as well as academic deb... more The conflict between animal costs and human benefits has dominated public as well as academic debates about animal research. However, surveys of public perceptions of animal research rarely focus on this part of attitude formation. This paper traces the prevalence of different attitudes to animal research in the public when people are asked to take benefit and cost considerations into account concurrently. Results from the examination of two representative samples of the Danish public identify three reproducible attitude stances. Approximately 30-35% of people questioned approved of animal research quite strongly, and 15-20% opposed animal research. The remaining 50% were reserved in their views. Further studies will ideally use the measure developed here to make possible relatively fine-grained comparisons and understandings of differences between populations and changes in attitudes over time.
The aim of this study was to investigate the Danish public&am... more The aim of this study was to investigate the Danish public's support for publicly funded obesity treatment and prevention. It was also examined whether levels of support could be explained by dislike of obese people and/or the belief that those who are obese are personally responsible for their condition. A representative survey of members of the Danish public (N = 1,141) was conducted using a web-based questionnaire. The survey was designed to assess attitudes to public funding for obesity-related health care, and to investigate the impact, on those attitudes, of dislike of obese people, the perceived controllability of obesity, self-reported BMI, and additional attitudinal and socio-demographic characteristics. Public funding of some obesity treatments, such as weight-loss surgery, attracted only limited public support. A majority of the Danish public did support "softer" treatment interventions and preventive initiatives. Attitudes to the treatment of obesity were clearly best predicted by the belief that individuals are personally responsible for their own obesity. Dislike of obese persons had no direct effect on the preference for collective treatment initiatives and only a small effect on support for publicly funded obesity prevention. The high level of disapproval for publicly funded obesity treatment should be cause for concern for decision makers aiming to ensure equal access to health care. Since it is the belief that obese people are personally responsible which explains this disapproval, strategies for challenging public opinion on this issue are discussed.
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study public acceptance of decontamination as a risk re... more Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study public acceptance of decontamination as a risk reduction strategy in meat production. Design/methodology/approach – A representative survey of the Danish population (n=1,104) was conducted during September 2007. The survey included dimensions of assessment of decontamination techniques and background variables of socio-economic status, food culture and safety profile. The data were
As in many other areas, there is a divide between lay and expert perceptions of risk within the f... more As in many other areas, there is a divide between lay and expert perceptions of risk within the food sector, and this can lead to disagreement over priorities in food risk management. The risk perception literature tends to stress that the parties involved in this disagreement have different concepts of risk and hence are bound more or less to talk at cross-purposes. This paper suggests an alternative analysis: In the light of moral theory, the conflicting perspectives can be understood as a genuine moral conflict. When this conflict is conceptualised, a rational dialogue becomes possible.
... J. Lassen et al.: Ethics and genetic engineering 265 Page 4. ... It has, for exam-ple, been p... more ... J. Lassen et al.: Ethics and genetic engineering 265 Page 4. ... It has, for exam-ple, been pointed out that many of the ``first generation'' GM crops are modified to resist herbicides that are less environmentally suspect than the ones already in use. ...
Journal of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, 2002
In public debate GMPs are oftenreferred to as being unnatural or a violationof nature. Some peopl... more In public debate GMPs are oftenreferred to as being unnatural or a violationof nature. Some people have serious moralconcerns about departures from what is natural.Others are concerned about potential risks tothe environment arising from the combination ofhereditary material moving across naturalboundaries and the limits of scientificforesight of long-term consequences. To addresssome of these concerns we propose that anadditional element in
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 2007
Over recent decades, public participation in technology assessment has spread internationally as ... more Over recent decades, public participation in technology assessment has spread internationally as an attempt to overcome or prevent societal conflicts over controversial technologies. One outcome of this new surge in public consultation initiatives has been the increased use of participatory consensus conferences in a number of countries. Existing evaluations of consensus conferences tend to focus on the modes of organization, as well as the outcomes, both procedural and substantial, of the conferences they examine. Such evaluations seem to rest on the assumption that this type of procedure has universally agreed goals and meanings, and that therefore consensus conferences can readily be interpreted and applied across national boundaries. This article challenges this approach to consensus conferences. The core of the article is a study of national differences in ideas about what constitutes legitimate goals for participatory arrangements. The study looks at three consensus conferences on GMOs, which took place in France, Norway, and Denmark. Drawing on this study, the article discusses the ways in which interpretations of the concept of participation; the value attributed to lay knowledge vs. technical expertise; as well as ideas about the role of the layperson, are all questions that prompt entirely different answers from country to country. Further, the article analyses these national differences within a theoretical framework of notions of democratic legitimacy.
Background: Individual, comprehensive and written informed consent is broadly considered an ethic... more Background: Individual, comprehensive and written informed consent is broadly considered an ethical obligation in research involving sampling of human material. In developing countries, however, local circumstances such as widespread illiteracy, low education, and hierarchical social structures complicate adherence to these standards. Consequently, researchers in such settings may modify the consent procedure to local circumstances to secure participation. To ethically assess such modified consent strategies, it is necessary to investigate to which extent practices are in accordance with the values underlying informed consent. Methods: Over a two-week period in April 2014, we conducted semi-structured interviews with researchers from a genetic research institute in rural Pakistan, and with families who had given blood samples for their research. Interviews with researchers focused on the institute’s requirements for consent, and the researchers’ strategies for and experiences with obtaining consent in the field. Interviews with donors focused on their motivations to donate samples, their experience of consent and donation, and what factors were central in the decision to give consent. Results: Researchers often reported modifying consent procedures to the local context: standardly employing oral and elder consent, and tailoring the information to the social education level of specific donor family. Central themes in donors’ accounts were the hope of getting something out of their participation, and their remarkably high level of trust in the researchers, as conducive to their decision to consent. Several donor accounts indicated a conflation of participation with diagnostic purposes, resulting in a therapeutic misconception. Conclusions: We argue that while building and maintaining trusting relationships in research – not least in developing countries – is important, strategies that serve this endeavor should be supplemented by efforts to ensure proper provision and understanding of relevant information, specifically about the nature of research, as well as measures for individual consent and opt-out.
In this paper, we address the issue of food risk management as practised in Western Europe. We be... more In this paper, we address the issue of food risk management as practised in Western Europe. We begin by considering how food risks are managed, and then go on to consider how well they are managed. There are multiple answers to the 'how well' question, which are related to the varied perspectives of the different key stakeholders -from the food risk managers and producers, to the general public and the media. Consequently, there is no clear answer to the question of quality. What our review does identify is two priorities relevant to our understanding of effective food risk management: first, a need for further research to determine the source and nature of the different evaluative perspectives, and second, a need for the key stakeholders to appreciate and understand the alternative perspectives in order to enhance the effectiveness of the food risk management process.
A plurality of concerns within the European Union triggers debates on innovations in agriculture ... more A plurality of concerns within the European Union triggers debates on innovations in agriculture and food production. The ethical assessment of new agricultural and food technologies has thus become important for governmental regulators, the general public and actors in all segments of the food chain.
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Papers by Jesper Lassen
Methods: Over a two-week period in April 2014, we conducted semi-structured interviews with researchers from a genetic research institute in rural Pakistan, and with families who had given blood samples for their research. Interviews with researchers focused on the institute’s requirements for consent, and the researchers’ strategies for and experiences with obtaining consent in the field. Interviews with donors focused on their motivations to donate samples, their experience of consent and donation, and what factors were central in the decision to give consent.
Results: Researchers often reported modifying consent procedures to the local context: standardly employing oral and elder consent, and tailoring the information to the social education level of specific donor family. Central themes in donors’ accounts were the hope of getting something out of their participation, and their remarkably high level of trust in the researchers, as conducive to their decision to consent. Several donor accounts indicated a conflation of participation with diagnostic purposes, resulting in a therapeutic misconception.
Conclusions: We argue that while building and maintaining trusting relationships in research – not least in developing countries – is important, strategies that serve this endeavor should be supplemented by efforts to ensure proper provision and understanding of relevant information, specifically about the nature of research, as well as measures for individual consent and opt-out.
Methods: Over a two-week period in April 2014, we conducted semi-structured interviews with researchers from a genetic research institute in rural Pakistan, and with families who had given blood samples for their research. Interviews with researchers focused on the institute’s requirements for consent, and the researchers’ strategies for and experiences with obtaining consent in the field. Interviews with donors focused on their motivations to donate samples, their experience of consent and donation, and what factors were central in the decision to give consent.
Results: Researchers often reported modifying consent procedures to the local context: standardly employing oral and elder consent, and tailoring the information to the social education level of specific donor family. Central themes in donors’ accounts were the hope of getting something out of their participation, and their remarkably high level of trust in the researchers, as conducive to their decision to consent. Several donor accounts indicated a conflation of participation with diagnostic purposes, resulting in a therapeutic misconception.
Conclusions: We argue that while building and maintaining trusting relationships in research – not least in developing countries – is important, strategies that serve this endeavor should be supplemented by efforts to ensure proper provision and understanding of relevant information, specifically about the nature of research, as well as measures for individual consent and opt-out.