innovation processes and may discover that outcomes of research and innovation
in the field of PMPs meet the expectations of safety, desirability, acceptability and
quality.
Civil society actors should be encouraged to work in contact with scientists and
companies at a deeper level throughout the whole R&I (research and innovation)
process. This will ensure that R&I results meet societal expectations.
If social acceptance is of sufficient importance, then gauging public attitudes
toward any new technology becomes an important step in market assessment and
justification of financial investment to conduct research and development. Plantmade biopharmaceuticals are on the intersection among the R&D areas of modern
agriculture, medicinal plants/supplements and (plant) biotechnology (Fig. 4). The
available studies show an acceptance of PMPs as a rare combination of medical and
agricultural biotechnologies (Castle and Dalgleish 2005). As shown by some studies,
there appears to be a positive public outlook about engineered pharmaceuticals, in
general (Castle and Dalgleish 2005). The development of PMPs promises significant
advantages for the production of vaccines and other therapeutic/prophylactic entities. However, the benefits and risks associated with new technologies must still be
communicated and discussed with the public early, to maximize social acceptance.
In fact, the above-mentioned study underlines that people are normally excluded
from public debates and policy-making and normally do not have access to data and
information about issues, if not through the media which most of the interviewees
consider as giving misleading information. Studies have shown that even if people
associate technology with relatively high risks and unknown consequences (especially genetic technologies), they still might not reject the technology (Castle and
Dalgleish 2005). Oversight by regulatory agencies may give confidence to the
general public and facilitate acceptance of new technologies, despite negative
perceptions with regard to specific risks. More empirical research on public
Fig. 4 Plant-made biopharmaceuticals on the intersection among the R&D areas of modern
agriculture, medicinal plants/supplements and (plant) biotechnology (sourced from https://www.
rri-tools.eu/it/how-to-stk-pm-implement-rri-at-national-level; R&I: Research and Innovation)
96
S. Massa et al.
in the field of PMPs meet the expectations of safety, desirability, acceptability and
quality.
Civil society actors should be encouraged to work in contact with scientists and
companies at a deeper level throughout the whole R&I (research and innovation)
process. This will ensure that R&I results meet societal expectations.
If social acceptance is of sufficient importance, then gauging public attitudes
toward any new technology becomes an important step in market assessment and
justification of financial investment to conduct research and development. Plantmade biopharmaceuticals are on the intersection among the R&D areas of modern
agriculture, medicinal plants/supplements and (plant) biotechnology (Fig. 4). The
available studies show an acceptance of PMPs as a rare combination of medical and
agricultural biotechnologies (Castle and Dalgleish 2005). As shown by some studies,
there appears to be a positive public outlook about engineered pharmaceuticals, in
general (Castle and Dalgleish 2005). The development of PMPs promises significant
advantages for the production of vaccines and other therapeutic/prophylactic entities. However, the benefits and risks associated with new technologies must still be
communicated and discussed with the public early, to maximize social acceptance.
In fact, the above-mentioned study underlines that people are normally excluded
from public debates and policy-making and normally do not have access to data and
information about issues, if not through the media which most of the interviewees
consider as giving misleading information. Studies have shown that even if people
associate technology with relatively high risks and unknown consequences (especially genetic technologies), they still might not reject the technology (Castle and
Dalgleish 2005). Oversight by regulatory agencies may give confidence to the
general public and facilitate acceptance of new technologies, despite negative
perceptions with regard to specific risks. More empirical research on public
Fig. 4 Plant-made biopharmaceuticals on the intersection among the R&D areas of modern
agriculture, medicinal plants/supplements and (plant) biotechnology (sourced from https://www.
rri-tools.eu/it/how-to-stk-pm-implement-rri-at-national-level; R&I: Research and Innovation)
96
S. Massa et al.