These people contend that Canadian society cannot afford to forego the potential benefits genetic engineering will bring, and that concerns about risk can be adequately addressed by regulation. Still others have raised ethical concerns about altering the genetic make-up of living organisms. Many Canadians do not yet know what to make of genetic engineering. Even among those who see the potential benefits, many have said they want genetically engineered products identified in some way, so everyone can make their own choices. These mixed results appeared to reflect a lack of knowledge about the risks and benefits of the new technologies and the need for people to understand them better in order to reconcile them with their value systems.
Human safety remains a top priority, followed by concerns about the environment.
Some participants were concerned that they did not know enough about the risks involved and the regulatory safeguards that are in place to manage these risks. Some people, for example, had in mind past mishaps with other technologies such as thalidomide and silicone breast implants. Others were aware that some government controls were in place, but were unclear about the processes involved. Research results suggest consumers' risk tolerance regarding applications of genetic engineering varies according to their perception of the nature and level of the benefits. For example, they seem prepared to accept higher risks in the case of medical applications, likely because these are perceived as significantly enhancing the quality of life, and indeed, in some cases, as crucial to survival.