Blithely in the dark

While amorphous fears of unknown or hypothetical risks of genetically modified organisms have virtually killed the market for GM foods in Europe, the public on both sides of the Atlantic seems more than willing to ignore the documented risks posed by completely natural plant products that contain harmful chemical compounds.

The findings by the researchers at Hammersmith and Charing Cross Hospitals (London, U.K.) point out that health risks are everywhere, whether media attention is paid to them or not. "Given the widespread use of these types of preparations, the public health problems are large," the researchers wrote. In fact, they estimated that more than 3,000 clinics in the U.K. prescribe Chinese herbal remedies for various disorders...