Public Interest in New Medical Discoveries Analyses of US and European Citizens` Interest in and Knowledge of Medical Discoveries and New Science and Technology Issues

Abstract

The rapidly rising cost of health care has been an important policy concern in the United States, and the continuing explosion of medical research and increased utilization of medical technology are believed to be important factors driving up the costs. Several studies have implied that the US's continuous expansion of medical technology development and utilization might derive from Americans' strong commitment to medical innovation and a willingness to pay for expensive medical technologies. Using the data on the US and European citizens' attitudes toward other sciences and technologies and new medical discoveries, this study explores why Americans have such strong devotion to medical technologies. Specifically, this study examines whether the high level of interest that Americans have in new medical discoveries comes from their interest in new inventions or in new scientific discoveries and new science and technology issues show that the conceptual structures and determinants of the American public's interest in medical issues are different from those in science and technology issues. This pattern does not occur among European citizens. The US Government's decisions on public expenditures for medical science compared to those for science and technology issues seem to reflect the public's attitudes toward thses issues.