Florida to release genetically modified mosquitoes, detractors blast ‘Jurassic Park’ experiment

Local authorities on Tuesday gave final approval to release 750 million genetically modified mosquitoes in the Florida Keys over a two-year period, starting in 2021, with the hope of preventing diseases such as the Zika virus but has faced blowback and comparisons to a Steven Spielberg thriller.

The Monroe County Mosquito Control District signed off on the proposal that had already won state and federal approval. It will be the first time genetically modified mosquitoes will be released in the U.S.

The plan has not been universally accepted and has received backlash from residents and environmental advocacy groups.

“With all the urgent crises facing our nation and the State of Florida —  the Covid-19 pandemic, racial injustice, climate change —  the administration has used tax dollars and government resources for a Jurassic Park experiment,” said Jaydee Hanson, policy director for the International Center for Technology Assessment and Center for Food Safety in a statement released Wednesday.

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