Madam, - Dr Dermot O'Leary's letter of February 24th underlined the extremely serious effects of misinformation and the duty of the media to discourage its propagation and of scientists to inform as well as to research.
In particular he recalled the large number of abortions carried out in Eastern Europe following the Chernobyl accident, despite scientific evidence that the radiation exposure would not be expected to cause congenital effects. But misinformation won the day and a great loss was suffered.
Sadly, today there are still many who believe that children were, and still are, being born deformed because of Chernobyl radiation. This belief has hardly been diminished by the latest international scientific report on the health effects of the accident. The detailed evidence of the "Chernobyl Legacy" report is being blindly dismissed by many charities and others who, although doing good works, still blame the radiation from Chernobyl for congenital effects.
We agree with Dr O'Leary that the scientific and medical communities must do even more to inform, especially on this issue. - Yours, etc,
D. SOWBY, Knocksinna Crescent, Dublin 18; F.J. TURVEY, Church Road, Greystones, Co Wicklow.