The section 
For debate... is open to contributions dealing with issues of a particularly debatable nature in diabetology. Contributions are published either standing by themselves or accompanied by invited comments. Other comments from the readership may be published as Letters to the Editor. Manuscripts intended for publication in this section of the journal are accepted at the discretion of the Editor-in-Chief and may be subject to a referee procedure. This For debate article has been written in response to an article previously published in Diabetologia on this subject. J.E. Gerich (1991) Diabetologia 34: 607–610