The Opinion/Dissent columns in this issue deal with one of the most contentious ideas in the safety field. The notion of risk homeostasis crops up constantly—in letters to the editor, in scientific articles, and in political debates. Although Wilde has been careful to present his controversial ideas as “theory”, others treat them as proved. It seemed wise for this issue to be aired fully and this prompted my invitation to Professor Wilde to explain risk homeostasis to our readers.

It did not seem reasonable, however, to do so without providing an opportunity for rebuttal by those who are convinced that there is little or no foundation for Wilde's beliefs. Thus, quite coincidentally, I invited Brian …