Appendix III
OMB No: 0910-0497 Expiration Date: 10/31/2020
CFSAN Focus Groups for Outreach and Education in Agricultural Biotechnology
Moderator’s Guide
Welcome to our group discussion, and thank you for coming. My name is _____, and I have been hired to facilitate our discussion today. I am an independent moderator – I’m not an expert on the topic we are going to discuss today. During our discussion, you may have questions that I can’t answer, but at the end of our discussion I will refer you to resources for more information.
On behalf of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), I am conducting discussions like this one in several locations around the country. The focus of our discussion today is on GMO foods, which are also known as genetically engineered or genetically modified foods. Your insights are very important to us and your time today is appreciated. We will have about 90 minutes for our discussion.
Before we get started, there are a few things I need to mention. I know when you came into the facility you were asked to read and sign an informed consent form. I would like to review the key elements in that form.
First, your participation is voluntary. You don’t have to answer any of our questions that make you uncomfortable and you can leave at any point in the discussion. There’s no penalty to you for doing so.
We do not think there are any risks to you for participating in today’s discussion. We’re going to ask for your views and opinions about “GMO” foods, which are also known as genetically engineered or genetically modified foods. There are no particular benefits to your participation, either, although you will be contributing to FDA’s understanding of what American consumers know and think about genetically engineered products. You will receive a token of our appreciation at the end of the discussion as a “thank you” for taking the time to join us today.
Everything you say here today will be kept secure to the extent provided by law, which means I will never use your name in anything I write about the discussion. When preparing my report for FDA, I might use a quote from someone in the group, but I would never attribute the quote to anyone’s name.
We are also audio- and video-recording today’s discussion. We are doing this only so I have an accurate record of what was said when I write my report. The files are stored on secure servers at Hager Sharp and FDA, are only available to members of the project team, and will be destroyed once the project is complete.
We also have some observers today from the project team at FDA, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): [NOTE ANY OBSERVERS BEHIND the GLASS]; and we are livestreaming today’s discussion so that FDA, USDA and EPA staff who could not be here can log in and view the discussion. All staff who are observing have had to complete our human subjects research training.
Do you have any questions? [ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS]
Let me tell you just a couple of ground rules to make sure our discussion flows smoothly today.
Please turn off or silence all of your electronic devices to avoid disturbing others.
We will be looking at some statements and materials throughout the group today; please have reading glasses ready if you need them.
Please speak one at a time. This will ensure that I can hear everybody and that everyone’s perspective can be included in our study.
Also, there are no right or wrong answers to any of the questions I ask. Feel free to express an opinion that’s different from others in the room – we want to hear the full range of views on this topic.
I did not create any of the materials we are going to talk about today, so please feel free to be candid in your comments. You won’t offend me. Nor will you offend FDA.
My job is to keep us moving along so we finish in an hour and a half. From time to time, I may have to jump in to keep our conversation moving.
Finally, if you need to step out for any reason, please feel free to do so. The restrooms are [DESCRIBE LOCATION]. But I would ask that not everyone decide to go at the same time!
Any questions? [ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS]
Let’s get started! Let’s go around the room and please tell us just your first name and then some interesting fact about yourself – maybe an interesting hobby, someone famous that you met, some great place to which you’ve traveled. [MODERATOR GO FIRST]
PERCEPTIONS OF GENETICALLY ENGINEERED PRODUCTS [10 MINUTES]
As I mentioned earlier, we are going to talk about GMO foods, which are also known as genetically engineered or genetically modified foods.
Who has heard of GMOs? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What have you heard?
What else would you like to know about GMO foods?
INFORMATION SOURCES
Where did you hear about GMO foods?
[PROBES: Internet – which sources? Word of mouth? TV – which sources?]
If you were interested in learning more, what information sources would you seek out? [Moderator: please write down responses on a flip chart.]
Which of these do you believe to be the most trustworthy source of information about biotechnology? Why?
Who would you say is the least trustworthy source of information about biotechnology? Why?
REACTIONS TO CONCEPTS [60 MINUTES]
The FDA is in the process of developing educational materials for consumers about GMO foods, which are also known as genetically engineered or genetically modified foods. The Agency is in the very early stages of developing these materials, so we have two concepts to show you. Each concept has five pieces that look like ads you may see online or in a magazine. They are not fully developed yet. One of these concepts may be further developed into a website that would house a collection of educational resources, such as factsheets, summaries of research, infographics, and perspectives from various stakeholders in agriculture.
[CONCEPT 1: KNOWLEDGE CONCEPT]
Let’s look first at Concept 1, which includes five pieces that are all supposed to be elements of one information initiative that you might find, for example, in a series of ads. Again, these are not intended to be fully developed educational materials – they are just concepts that could be developed into materials later.
POTATO
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
Specifically thinking about the Feed Your Mind tagline – what do you think of it?
Does it seem to fit this concept? Why or why not?
Does it make you more or less interested in going to the website?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
PAPAYA
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
CORN
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
BUZZ
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
SCIENTIST
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
As I mentioned before, these five pieces are parts of one information initiative. To what extent, do you think they go together? In your opinion, do they have anything in common?
Are there any common or overarching messages?
Visually, what do they have in common?
How do these commonalities relate to or support the tagline Feed Your Mind?
[For images AND LAYOUT] When you look at the five pieces in this concept, do you find them visually appealing?
Why or why not?
Is there anything that would make them more visually appealing?
Do you think these would catch your attention if you saw them online or in a public place?
Why or why not?
Can you suggest any changes that would make them catch your attention better?
If FDA developed educational materials based on this concept, what specific information would you find most helpful? [PROBE: infographics, links to scientific studies, perspectives from experts and farmers, etc.]
[CONCEPT 2: EMPOWERMENT CONCEPT]
Let’s look now at Concept 2, which also includes five pieces that are all supposed to be elements of same information initiative. Again, these are not intended to be fully developed educational materials – they are just concepts that could be developed into materials later.
IS ANYONE WATCHING
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
Specifically thinking about the You Have the Power to Know tagline – what do you think of it?
Does it seem to fit this concept? Why or why not?
Does it make you more or less interested in going to the website?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
DO PEOPLE AT FDA CONSIDER
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
WHY WOULD ANYONE CREATE GMOs
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
WHAT ARE GMOs
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
ALLERGIES
[For messages/taglines, read aloud, then ask] Overall, what do you think of this?
Is this relevant for you?
What would make it more relevant to you?
Is it believable?
Is there anything you would change to make it more believable?
Was there anything surprising in this piece?
Was there anything confusing or unclear?
After reading this message, how likely would you be to visit this website?
What do you like about this message?
Is there anything you don’t like? How could we make it better?
[Overall ad]
By show of hands, how many of you like this? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you like it?
How many don’t like it? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you don’t like it?
As I mentioned before, these five pieces are parts of one information initiative. To what extent, do you think they go together? In your opinion, do they have anything in common?
Are there any common or overarching messages?
Visually, what do they have in common?
How do these commonalities relate to or support the tagline You Have the Power to Know?
[For images AND LAYOUT] When you look at the five pieces in this concept, do you find them visually appealing?
Why or why not?
Is there anything that would make them more visually appealing?
Do you think these would catch your attention if you saw them online or in a public place?
Why or why not?
Can you suggest any changes that would make them catch your attention better?
If FDA developed educational materials based on this concept, what specific information would you find most helpful?
[THEMES COMPARISON]
Now that you have seen both themes including five varied pieces each, how do they compare?
[Probe: is one more informative, appealing, understandable, etc. than the other or are they equal?]
Who prefers Concept 1? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you prefer it over Concept 2?
Who prefers Concept 2? [SHOW OF HANDS]
What are some reasons why you prefer it over Concept 1?
[TERMS]
FDA’s goal is to provide science based information for consumers, should they use the term that consumers are familiar with, ie GMO or some other term?
What about genetically engineered food (GE)?
What about bioengineered food (BE)?
Why?
FINAL THOUGHTS AND CLOSE [5 MINUTES]
Since we started talking today, have your perceptions about genetically engineered or genetically modified foods changed from before this discussion?
How so?
Is there more information you would like to have?
That’s all my questions. Thank you so much; your help has been invaluable.
| File Type | application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document |
| Author | Carlton, Ewa D |
| File Modified | 0000-00-00 |
| File Created | 2021-01-15 |