Corporate Science Communication and Its Effect on Scientific Knowledge and Attitudes

科学、卫生和技术领域的营利性实体已成为公众科学传播的主要参与者。科学传播可以显著影响个体在健康行为、技术采用和政策支持方面的决策。自1980年《Bayh-Dole法案》（Bayh-Dole Act）以来，美国科学家有权为公共资助的研究成果申请专利并将其商业化，这促成了科学传播格局的转变。尽管商业科学传播的影响和流行，但很少有研究关注其效果。直接面向消费者（DTC）的基因检测提供了一个理解这些问题的环境。DTC基因检测公司的科学传播尤其重要，因为消费者如何了解基因科学并与之互动，可以影响他们的健康决策、他们对科学资助或政策的支持，以及他们对相关技术的看法。为了达到这个研究的目的，这个项目将包括两个相关的研究。第一项研究将对来自10家DTC基因检测公司的电子邮件进行内容分析，并将确定和描述这些公司如何与客户就科学、测试的能力和局限性以及共享基因数据的好处和风险进行沟通。第二项研究将以第一项研究的结果为基础，对美国成年人进行全国性调查，检查使用DTC基因检测产品的影响，并接收DTC基因检测公司的信息。该调查将告知DTC基因检测经验和传播对科学知识、对基因研究的看法、对科学的支持以及其他相关成果的影响。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

For-profit entities in the science, health, and technology sectors have become major players in the public communication of science. Science communication can significantly influence the decisions individuals make related to health behaviors, technology adoption, and policy support. Since the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, U.S. scientists have had the right to patent and commercialize the findings of publicly funded research, which has contributed to the shifting science communication landscape. Despite the influence and prevalence of commercial science communication, little research has focused on its effects. Direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic testing provides a context in which to understand these issues. Science communication from DTC genetic testing companies is particularly important because how consumers learn about genetic science and interact with it can influence their health decisions, their support for science funding or policy, and their perceptions of related technologies.To achieve the purpose of this research, this project will consist of two related studies. The first study will be a content analysis of emails from ten DTC genetic testing companies and will identify and describe how these companies communicate with their customers about science, the capabilities and limitations of their tests, and the benefits and risks of sharing genetic data. The second study, which will build on the findings from the first, will consist of a national survey of U.S. adults examining the effects of engaging with DTC genetic testing products and receiving communication from DTC genetic testing companies. The survey will inform the impact of DTC genetic testing experiences and communication on science knowledge, perceptions of genetic research, support for science, and other related outcomes.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.