Madam, - Prof William Reville's article on genetically modified foods (March 4th) raises the real reason why the public openly distrusts the science and big business behind GMF. Everyone feels that, right now, the GMF industry is just patting our heads and saying:"Trust us, you don't need to know anything. We're the experts and you're too ignorant".
Prof Reville is correct to note that no one, except those directly working in the area, can ever know enough of the relevant science to completely understand how GMF works.
But, of course, the central issue for us public is what GMF will do to our bodies. As with cigarettes, Thalidomide and organophosphates, we always find out too late that we should never have used something in the first place.
Only by knowing the true effects on the human body in toto, will we know if we should use GMF. So far, most of the information given is dense technical information on GMF at a molecular and cellular level. Knowledge of the systemic effects of GMF on the whole human body appears very much lacking. Indeed, it all smacks of hypothesis, guesswork and hope. - Yours, etc.,
JAMES HYDE, Main Street, Lismore, Co Waterford.