Haggling over 'disease' and 'pesticide'

WASHINGTON - The semantic battles between the White House and Congress over the meanings of common words have spilled over into other executive agencies, with effects that could be felt in the biomedical and agriculture wings of the biotech industry. FDA Commissioner Jane Henney and senior Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials sparred last week with members of Congress over the meanings of two common words - "disease" and "pesticide."

The outcomes of the word wars could have major consequences. If "disease" is defined broadly, manufacturers of dietary supplements would gain significant advantage and perhaps unsafely compete against manufacturers of therapeutics. And if foods that are bioengineered to express natural toxins are labeled "pesticides," public confidence in major crops could be diminished...