TCS Daily - The Angel Is in the Details: "Twenty years ago, then-FDA Commissioner Frank Young and I began a Wall Street Journal op-ed thus: 'Defining the terms 'biotechnology' and 'genetic engineering' isn't an easy task, since the terms don't represent natural groupings of processes or products. They connote something different to individual commentators, journalists, organizations, congressional staffers and members of the public. The terms are ambiguous, the source of much confusion and little advantage, and we would do well to return to more specific and descriptive terms.'
These observations remain valid, sad to say. Many people who use the terms 'biotechnology,' 'genetic engineering,' and 'genetically modified' don't know what they're talking about. Literally. Confusion about the terminology has led to the stigmatization of superior techniques by unscrupulous NGOs and some government officials, worthless conferences and reports, and poorly conceived experiments performed in the name of 'biotechnology risk assessment.' "
