ABBOTT PARK, Ill., April 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- In Chicago, biotechnology seems to be seen but not heard.
According to a recent telephone survey of 500 adults in the Chicago area, only one in 10 (13 percent) could correctly define biotechnology as “the use of biology and technology.” However, 70 percent agreed that “biotechnology brings better medicine to their lives,” 85 percent said it is likely to be an important source of new medicine in the next 20 years, and about 80 percent said it will likely provide new cancer therapies and create tests to help detect breast cancer.
The survey was conducted by (1)KRC Research, a full-service opinion, marketing and research firm, for Chicago-based health care company, Abbott, a major sponsor of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) 2006 convention, April 9-12, in Chicago. This is the first time the convention is being held in the Midwest. The survey was conducted in mid March.
But only 17 percent “definitely” have a lot of confidence that they have used a product created through biotechnology.
“The results reveal an interesting dichotomy,” said John Leonard, M.D., vice president, Global Medical and Scientific Affairs, Abbott. “There is a general lack of knowledge about biotechnology. People don’t realize they are often surrounded by biotechnology in their everyday lives. Yet, respondents linked biotechnology with the success of new medications and cancer treatments, showing an overall confidence in its contributions to our future.”
Survey participants were also asked about their knowledge of the history of biotechnology. Thirty percent did not even attempt to guess when biotechnology first hit Chicago. More than one in four thought it was introduced here sometime between 1941 and 1980, while 20 percent thought biotechnology was introduced within the last 25 years. All are far off the mark.
“Biotechnology’s history actually dates back thousands of years,” said Leonard. “It was used in leavening bread and fermenting beer with yeast even in ancient Egypt. Here in Chicago, Abbott was established in 1888 and we rapidly incorporated the biotechnology of the time into our work. By 1915, the company had biotechnology products consisting of serums and vaccines to treat dangerous infections and even published a guide on how to administer those ‘biologic remedies.’ That tradition continued with Abbott’s introduction of one of the first hepatitis tests, the world’s first test for HIV infection, and more recently our PathVysion(TM) HER-2DNA probe -- just a couple of the highlights in Chicago’s biotechnology past.”
Other survey results showed: * 78 percent say it is important to develop alternative fuel sources; * 78 percent say it is important to artificially grow tissues for organ transplants; * Nearly 70 percent believe that it is likely biotechnology contributes to the local economy; * 48 percent of adults surveyed say they might have used a product created through biotechnology, compared to 24 percent of adults who say they don’t think they have; * 20 percent of those surveyed lists medication as a biotechnology product that they have used. Other top mentions include food (14 percent) and detergent/soap/hair care products (12 percent); * 17 percent “definitely” have a lot of confidence that they have used a product created through biotechnology. About BIO 2006
Abbott is a lead sponsor of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) 2006 convention, an annual international event providing the latest partnerships being formed in the biotechnology industry. It is being held for the first time in Chicago in its 14-year history.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The company employs 60,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
Abbott’s news releases and other information are available on the company’s Web site at http://www.abbott.com .
(1) Abbott-BIO 2006 Biotechnology Survey, by KRC Research, results of a telephone survey of 500 adults in the Chicago area, ages 18 and over, conducted March 16-22, 2006. The margin of error for the overall study is +/- 4.4% at the 95% confidence level.
Abbott Laboratories
CONTACT: Catherine Bryan, +1-847-936-6722, or Julie Ferguson,+1-847-936-6116, both of Abbott
Web site: http://www.abbott.com/
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