How would Robert Thouless1 have responded to the recurrent debates in the UK media about the pros and cons of cousin marriage?2¨C5 He would surely have examined the key facts (Table 1), as well as exposing any dishonest tricks of an argument; he would also have pointed out that it is wise to avoid language which alienates some participants. A senior UK scientist recently spoke about first cousin marriages2, and referred to ??inbreeding?ˉ, a term which has a specific scientific meaning. Physicians wishing to engage positively with patients who are first cousins should avoid the term.
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