African Experts Welcome WHO Guidance on Ethics, Standards, and Governance of Genetically Modified Mosquito Research
African Experts Welcome WHO Guidance on Ethics, Standards, and Governance of Genetically Modified Mosquito Research
Tags: Gene drive synthetic, Genetically modified mosquitoes, Policy, RegulationE. Nakkazi, Health Policy Watch, 2021.
Researchers engaged in mosquito gene drive technologies are optimistic that new World Health Organization (WHO) guidance on best research practices will ensure that their work is safe and ethical. Such guidance also helps research results advance from laboratories to be used in the field, the researchers told Health Policy Watch. Due to limiting regulatory frameworks, most African countries doing research on genetically modified mosquitoes have been accused of carrying out unethical research. Some confine their work to laboratories because regulations mostly focus on handling plant-based genetically modified organisms. The WHO recently released essential standards for the study and evaluation of genetically modified mosquitoes so use of this public health tool can be ethical, effective, and affordable. Malaria kills more than 400,000 people a year worldwide. “Genetically modified mosquitoes are one of a number of promising new tools that could help speed the pace of progress against malaria and other vector-borne diseases,” WHO Global Malaria Programme Director Dr Pedro Alonso said.
