Imagine a medicine that has saved tens of millions of lives consistently for decades. Imagine that it is still being used highly successfully – yet, many people wish to see it taken out of use because they fear it may cause harm. They base their fears on some research studies – studies which are weak, un-replicated, often contradictory and do not amount to any kind of solid scientific evidence of harm. Most rational people would conclude that such a life-saving medicine should be used as long as the evidence is that its benefits outweigh its costs. 

Such a scenario is playing out right now. Public perception and the media response is to condemn this 'medicine' and the reason they do so is because it is not actually a medicine – but an insecticide.  Why, when the word ‘medicine’ is replaced with ‘insecticide’, is all rationality, fairness and balance is discarded and it becomes acceptable, even celebrated, to be biased, irrational and unreasonable – even when the very poorest members of society will pay dearly?