**6. References**

198 Biomedicine

Technologies (IT), nanotechnology, biotechnology and genetic engineering. On one side, alternative energies show a rise because of the "Copenhagen Effect." The controversy surrounding climate change, global warming and carbon emissions has helped feed optimism in renewable energies. Regarding the rise in nuclear energy, it must be taken into account that while those who support solar energy also support wind energy, their opinions are divided regarding nuclear energy, between optimism (46%) and pessimism (42%).

How to explain, then, the drop for computers and IT, nanotechnology, biotechnology and genetic engineering? The 2010 report considers that nanotechnology as well as biotechnology show this drop because of the rise (from 12% to 20% in biotechnology) in the response "make things worse." The disenchantment society feels seeing highly promising announcements that later don't materialize in products, therapies, etc., has a lot to do with it. The possibility for future conflicts, especially between the Spanish food industry and consumers, derives from the gap between the perception of the industry toward consumers,

Biotechnology constitutes a good indicator of the governance of science and technology. For the plurality of its practices, periods can be analyzed to see which show distrust, optimism, fear, and in function of which technologies. The main ambivalences found in this study are: European and Spanish indicators show certain divergences in respect to certain processes, as in the case of the perception of science and technology. The lack of homogenization in the surveys, their units of measure and objectives make a comparative analysis of same difficult. The divergence in the results makes it necessary to pay attention not only to the analytical differences they present, but also the

 In spite of the political, economic and media dominance of unifying discourses in biomedicine (i.e.: life sciences, genetic revolution, bioeconomics), the public shows a complex and plural perception regarding these processes. Positioning and evaluating the different biotechnologies analyzed such as genetic engineering, regenerative medicine, cellular therapy, etc., and modifying their perceptions, attitudes and actions in function of the course taken by them. It is precisely this flexible aspect that obliges institutions to maintain transparent policies in which citizens keep taking an ever more

 A moral evaluation on biomedical processes and the utility of their products continues to be posed. The case of the perception of stem cell research is a clear example of this. The positive evaluation of research with induced pluripotent stem cells, or even with adult cells, in contrast to research with embryonic cells shows a moral reflection about these processes. That is, that the use of the products from these technologies, as well as the hope placed in them to cure illnesses, is accepted independent of the moral

To sum up, analysis of the processes of the perception of biotechnology put into question the homogenization of national and European tools when approaching the same questions. At the same time, diversity, the capacity for change and the complexity of the perception of citizens about these biotechnologies requires giving incentives to European and national

mainly as being passive, and the attitudes of the consumer (Todt et. al., 2009).

qualitative aspects of the processes analyzed.

active part in the decision-making.

evaluation of said technologies.

**4. Conclusions** 


Moreno, L., (1996), "La Opinión Pública y los Avances en Genética," in ed. Borrillo, D., *Genes en el Estrado*, CSIC: Madrid ("Public Opinion and Genetic Advances") Pérez Sedeño, E. And Miranda Suárez, M.J. (2008): "Percepción pública de la biomedicina en

Todt, O., Muñoz, E., González, M., Ponce, G., Estévez, B., (2009), "Consumer attitudes and the governance of food safety", *Public Understanding of Science*, 18: 103-116

Spain," *Clinical Medicine,* : 131 Sup.3)

España", *Medicina Clínica*, : 131 (Sup. 3) : 6-12 ("Public Perception of Biomedicine in
