Capon Adam, Gillespie James, Rolfe Margaret, Smith Wayne
Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia ; Environmental Health Branch, Health Protection NSW, Sydney, Australia.
Menzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of Sydney, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia.
J Nanopart Res. 2015;17(8):327. doi: 10.1007/s11051-015-3129-8. Epub 2015 Jul 29.
Societies are constantly challenged to develop policies around the introduction of new technologies, which by their very nature contain great uncertainty. This uncertainty gives prominence to varying viewpoints which are value laden and have the ability to drastically shift policy. The issue of nanotechnologies is a prime example. The labelling of products that contain new technologies has been one policy tool governments have used to address concerns around uncertainty. Our study develops evidence regarding opinions on the labelling of products made by nanotechnologies. We undertook a computer-assisted telephone (CATI) survey of the Australian public and those involved in nanotechnologies from the academic, business and government sectors using a standardised questionnaire. Analysis was undertaken using descriptive and logistic regression techniques. We explored reluctance to purchase as a result of labelling products which contained manufactured nanomaterials both generally and across five broad products (food, cosmetics/sunscreens, medicines, pesticides, tennis racquets/computers) which represent the broad categories of products regulated by differing government agencies in Australia. We examined the relationship between reluctance to purchase and risk perception, trust, and familiarity. We found irrespective of stakeholder, most supported the labelling of products which contained manufactured nanomaterials. Perception of risk was the main driver of reluctance to purchase, while trust and familiarity were likely to have an indirect effect through risk perception. Food is likely to be the greatest product impacted by labelling. Risk perception surrounding nanotechnologies and label 'framing' on the product are key issues to be addressed in the implementation of a labelling scheme.
社会在围绕新技术的引入制定政策时不断面临挑战，而新技术本身就包含极大的不确定性。这种不确定性凸显了各种观点，这些观点充满价值判断，并有能力大幅改变政策。纳米技术问题就是一个典型例子。对含有新技术的产品进行标签标注一直是政府用来应对围绕不确定性的担忧的一种政策工具。我们的研究提供了有关纳米技术产品标签标注意见的证据。我们使用标准化问卷对澳大利亚公众以及学术、商业和政府部门参与纳米技术的人员进行了计算机辅助电话调查（CATI）。分析采用描述性和逻辑回归技术。我们探讨了由于对含有人造纳米材料的产品进行标签标注而导致的普遍购买意愿降低，以及在五类广泛产品（食品、化妆品/防晒霜、药品、农药、网球拍/电脑）中的购买意愿降低情况，这些产品代表了澳大利亚不同政府机构监管的广泛产品类别。我们研究了购买意愿降低与风险认知、信任和熟悉程度之间的关系。我们发现，无论利益相关者如何，大多数人都支持对含有人造纳米材料的产品进行标签标注。风险认知是购买意愿降低的主要驱动因素，而信任和熟悉程度可能通过风险认知产生间接影响。食品可能是受标签标注影响最大的产品。纳米技术的风险认知以及产品上的标签“框架”是实施标签标注计划时需要解决的关键问题。
