Thanks to all for your views, including Tevor who has just written about the Reuters article which he has describes,"....
believe me, this is a terrible piece....."
(my emphasis)
Trevor,
"Repeating an allegation by an activist group with its own agenda in order to buttress a complaint strays into attacking the woman rather than the facts. You know what this journalist missed in the Reuters piece on ME/CFS, you probably, in all likelihood, don't know the other issue that well. Stick to what you know are the facts. Scientists not involved in the ME/CFS issue get uneasy when a very specific complaint is diluted by adding all sorts of other scientific issues.
I understand the temptation—believe me, this is a terrible piece. But to be effective, criticism needs to be focused and fact based."..........
However, on a personal note, I am also involved in the Pesticide/health issue and my entire family and I are personally affected by impacts from over spraying etc.on the subject of pesticides and food.
I have firmly tracked the issue of altered gene expression with regard to ME and pesticides too.
I admit I am no scientist, any more than Kate K is!....., but do have a reasonably good academic background, qualifications and some common sense and healthy skepticism.
And I do follow the science and the law on these issues. So, to defend myself I say this,
I have sat through several High Court Judicial Reviews/Court of Appeal over the years on these matters of pesticides and human health adverse impacts.
I have followed Pesticide harm to human health for 40 years and have been to many specialist events and conferences, most recently to the parliamentary debate on the Agriculture Bill and the November 2018 lecture by Royal Society of Medicine epidemiology and public health events on the subject of pesticides and food in order to listen dispassionately to all the arguments.
I even met with and gave evidence to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution investigation into Agricultural pesticide use and human health in 2004.
SO, I am no 'one trick pony' and am highly suspicious of Monsanto........
https://www.theguardian.com/environ...nT3UCiXhhP8ofiSesVwHh6Jb7W78xO74pHUdJuyTC8QNg
FYI
The vital Caroline Lucas amendment to the UK Agriculture Bill for prohibition of agricultural pesticides near residents’ homes, schools, nurseries, hospitals, etc. is mentioned by me in the Guardian today (second letter down).
"A stark warning has again been issued by scientists over the catastrophic damage that intensive chemical farming and the use of agricultural pesticides is doing to wildlife, insects, nature and the environment. Not only that but these highly toxic agrochemicals are already known to be causing devastating damage to the health and lives of rural residents and communities around the world, as pesticides have been associated with a catalogue of chronic health conditions including neurological diseases, various cancers, respiratory problems and others.
Pesticides are poisons and should never have been used in the production of food in the first place, and certainly not for spraying where people live and breathe, especially babies, children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people already ill and/or disabled. A vital amendment to the agriculture bill has recently been tabled by Caroline Lucas for the prohibition of agricultural pesticides near residents’ homes, schools, nurseries, and hospitals, among other areas. Now is the time for MPs – especially those in rural constituencies – to also sign up to and support this crucial amendment.
Read more
Removing toxic chemicals completely from food production would protect not only the health of rural residents and communities, as well as other members of the public, but also the environment, wildlife, pollinators, and other species that – as the new global scientific review has rightly identified – are being wiped out from the continued use of such toxic chemicals.
Georgina Downs
UK Pesticides Campaign, Chichester, West Sussex
Now is the time for MPs - especially those in rural constituencies - to also sign up to and support it!! Pls share."
