A comparative analysis of attitudes toward stem cell research and regenerative medicine between six countries – A pilot study

Abstract

Introduction

Breakthroughs in stem cell research (SCR) and regenerative medicine (RM) have attracted significant public attention worldwide. Simultaneously, scientific communities and science policies have tried to establish appropriate governance of SCR and RM. In this context, effective communication between scientific communities and the public is regarded as a key factor. However, the diversity of public attitudes and interests has not been sufficiently examined, especially the differences across countries.

Methods

We conducted an international comparison of public attitudes toward SCR and RM. We circulated an internet questionnaire among people in six countries: Japan, South Korea, the United States, the UK, Germany, and France. We collected 100 valid responses from each country, and a total of 600 responses were obtained.

Results

Our key findings are the diversity of interests in RM, which can be expressed as user pragmatism, governance and handling of RM, risk, and benefit, and scientific interests. The priority of interests varied across the six countries, and the variations may be influenced by the political, social, cultural, and media contexts of SCR and RM in each country.

Conclusion

The implications can contribute to a deeper understanding of the diversity of public attitudes, and bring about an appropriate examination of a wide range of ethical and social concerns of SCR and RM in global contexts.

Highlights

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  There are differences in public attitudes and expected RM across six countries.

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  There are types of interests in RM, such as user pragmatism, governance and handling of RM, etc.

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  Recognition of keywords of iPSCs is very high in Japan, comparing to other countries.

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  The trust of experts on RM are different across countries.