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Re: Gene Tinkering: YOU Are The Mice And They Don't Want You to Know
In Article <518m49$g7v@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, brateaver@aol.com (BRateaver)
wrote:
>Yes, I knew about that scorpion work, and I did write it up for public
>consumption, somewhere, altho I don't know if I can recall just where.
>
>Thank you for the added details, which I did not know. I admire you for
>having the righteous "nerve" to publicize the hazard.
Typical of such scaremongering, which has become quite common, there is not
a single citation to any SCIENCE in the report! This is most likely because
the scientific literature overwhelmingly contradicts the author's views.
Unfortunately, this report is also typical of the so-called 'junk' (it can't
honestly be called science, in any sense of the word) which plagues the
public of late, in that the author attempts to give his article credibility
by stating his credentials (i.e. "Professor Emeritus of Genetics, University of
Western Ontario"). It is a sad day indeed when scientists use their
credentials in such a manner without first consulting the literature on the
topic at hand. It is absolutely clear that the author knows virtually
nothing of the biology of baculoviruses, although it appears by his use of
this title that he would have his audience believe otherwise.
For those people actually interested in learning some FACTUAL details about
engineered baculoviruses, see my previous post to this thread, where I
appended an excerpt from a literature review which I wrote a few years ago.
I can provide hundreds more references upon request. Basically, the question
of whether these viruses are capable of infecting non-target species, such
as humans, has been thoroughly investigated, and in no case has a
baculovirus been shown capable of resulting in a productive infection in any
mammalian species. Furthermore, the toxin genes which have been engineered
into these viruses are under the strict control of viral genetic elements
which can only be expressed in insect cells. This means that the toxins can
have no effect on humans, as humans cannot become infected by the
insect-specific virus.
Pull your heads out of the sand people (or wherever else you have stuck it).
The truth is out there for those with enough sense to seek it.
>Most people in
>academia do not have the intestinal fortitude to speak out.
This is a biased generalization only a fool would fall into believing. Some
of the most vociferous individuals in our society are academics. This is the
principle upon which academic freedom is based!
Tracy
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