Brown Stuff

[Carl Remick]

> I read through this article twice, and failed to find one single fact
> about the science of GE, only some internecine strife amongst
> scientists, companies and protesters. I don't mean to be picky, but we
> seem to be going over the same ground again and again. Scientific
> evidence usually means findings about nature, not journalism about
> scientists.

Read it again.  The issue concerns conflicts of interest, not a
difficult principle to understand.  Clearly, anyone preparing a report
on a controversial novel technology under the aegis of a federal agency
must meet a "Caesar's wife" level of credibility.  Since the author of
this forthcoming study, Dr. Michael Phillips, has violated the ethical
rules of the National Academy of Sciences by accepting a job at the
Biotechnology Industry Organization, he has compromised the integrity of
the NAS and cast doubt on the veracity of the study's findings.

Carl