Public awareness about genetics

Public awareness about genetics deserves our attention on account of the wide-ranging applications of this branch of science within our society and the speed at which it is developing. Such developments as the discovery of disease genes, the cloning of animals, DNA research by officers of the law and genetically modified (GM) food are increasingly confronting citizens with decisions and choices that require some degree of information. It is expected that the number of applications of genetic technologies will experience a further substantial increase as a result of the unravelling of the human genome. In the past, government White Papers and Health Council advisory reports have advocated public information campaigns aimed at enabling citizens to make informed choices.