Public views of breakthrough sciencePublic views of breakthrough science

This Leaps by Bayer report, based on the premise that “scientific advances will only succeed if people are willing to embrace them,” uncovers challenges among regions and demographics.

Given that the pharma industry has been subjected to negative perceptions, which have been amplified by political influences across the globe, Leaps by Bayer surveyed the global public on their views on scientific breakthroughs. The report is based on an online survey of over 13,000 participants across 13 countries, and offers areas of future study, specific suggestions on communicating science to the public, and taking demographics and audience information consumption under advisement.

Leaps by Bayer—a unit of German pharma giant Bayer AG that leads investments into a portfolio of more than 60 companies in the health and agriculture space—and Boston Consulting Group (BCG), together with market research agency Ipsos, released its report around global public attitudes towards four breakthrough technologies: artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare, cell and gene therapies (CGTs), new genomic techniques in agriculture, and cultivated meat.

For our audience, we are going to focus on the “How Society Feels About Breakthrough Science” report results for CGTs and AI in healthcare, in addition to perceptions around scientific breakthroughs in general.

CGTs

Overall, the report found 74% of respondents felt optimistic about CGT. Among demographic groups, Millennials took the crown for the most positive outlook with 78%, whereas Boomers scored the modality 70%. Additionally, 59% of global respondents agreed it is worth developing a cure for a disease even if only a few can afford it.

Optimism is even more encouraging among those who self-report as knowledgeable about CGT, with 82% agreeing that its benefits far outweigh the risks. However, 48% of respondents expressed worry that CGTs will have strong side effects. That level of concern is higher among younger generations with Gen Z coming in at 58% compared to Boomers at 37%.

AI in healthcare

AI is widely seen as a transformative force in healthcare, with 64% of respondents positive about its future impact on human health. In comparison, 23% responding had neutral feelings, and 10% negative.

Regarding specific applications, 70% believe that AI can lead to discoveries in medicine. The technology is already used for drug discovery, especially in the US, which hosts more than half of the world’s AI companies for drug discovery businesses, based on the report’s reference.

However, the report also noted that only 50% of US respondents said they would be happy for their HCP to use AI in their medical treatment. Given that the US  already has 950 AI/ML-enabled medical devices cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration (primarily in radiology), this could indicate a knowledge gap.

Overall perceptions

The report noted the following key findings:

The bottom line

While the report offered great enthusiasm and positives, it did provide suggestions for industry to consider when communicating with the public.

“We understand that addressing the world’s greatest challenges requires more than investing in transformative technologies—it demands building societal acceptance. This begins with actively listening to people’s hopes and concerns about breakthrough science,” said Juergen Eckhardt, EVP and head of Leaps by Bayer in a press release.