I sympathize with Leah McLaren's distress at making her in-laws sick by serving them lamb that she did not overcook (My Mantra for 2010 And Beyond: 'Don't Have A Cow, Man' - Lifestyle, Jan. 2). However, her decision to never serve red meat again does not address the problem: food safety.
Her mistake was to not inform herself of proper food handling techniques as recommended by the Toronto Public Health Department, which can be downloaded from the City of Toronto's website. Depending on "common sense" and the advice of vendors to prevent food-borne illness is not enough. After reading information from public health anyone can, for a nominal fee, write the test to become a certified food handler, ensuring mastery of the material.