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Being cautious now better than 'sorry' later

Duncan - You are correct, Mr. Barker, that a third year microbiology course does not make you an expert, but I don't think it gives you much insight into GMO foods either.

Even having spent several decades actually working in microbiology, several of those years in developmental research, I don't consider myself an expert either. I do think it gives me some insight into the dangers of people, scientists included, thinking they are experts.Mr. Barker, you are too young to remember the early days of antibiotic use. I am not. I remember even making penicillin! We thought we were very smart! We were assured that infections were now a thing of the past.How wrong we were! A new wonder antibiotic always seemed to be found that worked when a bacterium became resistant to ones being used. Instead of testing an organism to one or two antibiotics, in a few years we testing for many.We abused the use of antibiotics. We now have Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus [MRSA] and Clostridium difficile which are closing hospital wards and costing the medical system millions of dollars. They are a public health problem. How many people are suffering because of our ignorance - and arrogance? It can take many years to discover dangers and problems in any new discovery. Think of the use - and abuse - of X-rays, asbestos, formaldehyde. We are right to be cautious now, easier than saying "sorry" 20 or 30 years from now.Trudy ThorgeirsonDuncan