Perspectives

Opinions on and about gene drive technologies and their uses.

Africans paid 69 cents an hour to be bitten in GMO mosquito trial

GM Watch,  GMWatch,  2018-12-18 00:00:00.
Under the headline, Malaria trial pays Africans to be bitten, The Times of London reports that human “guinea pigs” in the West African state of Burkina Faso are being paid to expose themselves to mosquitoes that could potentially carry malaria or other diseases. ; ; Although the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has invested $70 million in the project, The Times reports that about 25 African “volunteers” in the village of Bana are being paid just 69 cents (£0.55) an hour to expose their legs for six hours a night to all mosquitoes in their local environment, as part of a GMO mosquito trial.

Africa kicks against proposed gene drive moratorium at UN Biodiversity Conference

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Gakpo, JO,  Cornell Alliance for Science,  2018-11-20 00:00:00.
Africa has kicked against a proposed moratorium on the environmental release of organisms containing gene drives now under debate at the United Nation’s biodiversity conference in Egypt.

Burkina Faso’s mosquito controversy: Consent, awareness and risk assessment in Target Malaria’s gene drive project

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Fuhr, L,  Klima der Gerechtigkeit,  2018-11-20 00:00:00.
The 14th Conference of the Parties (COP 14) to the Convention on Biological Diversity is taking place in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, from the 17th to the 29th of November, 2018. Amongst other things, delegates are discussing a moratorium on the release of gene drives, a powerful genetic extinction technology.

Genetic extinction technology challenged at UN Convention on biodiversity

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reporter, A,  Ekklesia,  2018-11-20 00:00:00.
From November 17-29 2018, international conservation and environmental leaders are meeting to call on governments to protect biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples’ and local communities’ rights from controversial new biotechnologies. Friends of the Earth says gene drives have the capacity to wipe out or alter species forever, and to significantly disrupt or modify the ecosystems on which humanity strongly depends for its survival. Gene drives pose serious and potentially irreversible threats to biodiversity and ecosystems, human health, as well as national sovereignty, peace and food sovereignty.

Viewpoint: UN should reject a proposed ban on gene drives

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Bailey, R,  Genetic Literacy Project,  2018-11-20 00:00:00.
A draft resolution would revise the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity to call on governments to “refrain from” releasing organisms containing engineered gene drives, according to the MIT Technology Review. A gene drive is a technology that can rapidly propagate a particular set of genes throughout a population, including genes that cause sterility in a species.

Zambian citizens call on leaders to raise concerns on GMOs at upcoming meeting in Egypt

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Biodiversity, ZAfAa,  Lusakatimes,  2018-11-17 00:00:00.
Zambia supports the global call for a moratorium on Gene Drive releases, including applied research such as open field trials

Let’s say we can force the mosquito into extinction — should we do it?

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Porterfield, A,  Genetic Literacy Project,  2018-11-15 00:00:00.
Not many people like mosquitoes. So why not eliminate them?; Newer techniques like CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing may make this possible. A new study by researchers at Imperial College London showed how CRISPR/Cas9 can generate a mutant gene that renders female mosquitos infertile, while males can spread the same mutation to offspring. Using a genetic tweak called gene drive, the scientists found they could extend the mutation in subsequent offspring at high enough rates to offset the effects of normal versions of the gene. This essentially wiped out the test population of Anopheles gambiae, a species of mosquito responsible for spreading malaria.

Proposed U.N. test ban on gene drives is idiotic

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Bailey, R,  Reason,  2018-11-15 00:00:00.
A draft resolution would revise the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity to call on governments to "refrain from" releasing organisms containing engineered gene drives, according to the MIT Technology Review. A gene drive is a technology that can rapidly propagate a particular set of genes throughout a population, including genes that cause sterility in a species.

Call for a global moratorium on gene drive releases

Network, TW,  Biosafety Information Centre,  2018-11-13 00:00:00.
Gene drives are a genetic engineering tool that aim to force artificial genetic changes through entire populations of animals, insects and plants. Starting on the 17th of November, Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity will meet to discuss measures to control this technology, including a possible moratorium on environmental releases. (Item 1)

United Nations considers a test ban on evolution-warping gene drives

Regalado, A,  MIT Technology Review,  2018-11-13 00:00:00.
Debate over a new idea for stopping malaria is pitting some environmental groups against Bill Gates.

Do not betray Africa on synbio and gene drives

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etc group,  etc group,  2018-11-11 00:00:00.
As representatives of a broad range of African civil society organisations (CSOs), we do not feel represented by the delegations of Nigeria and South Africa, speaking on behalf of African Group, in their attempt to speak on behalf of the people of Africa on the issue of synthetic biology (synbio) and gene drive organisms (GDOs).

Release of risky GM mosquitoes in Burkina faso highly unethical.

GM Watch,  GM Watch,  2018-11-09 00:00:00.
Risky genetically modified (GM) “male-sterile” mosquitoes are due to be released in the near future in Burkina Faso by the Target Malaria research consortium. However, Target Malaria acknowledges that there are no benefits to the proposed GM mosquito release.; ; According to Mariam Mayet, executive director of the African Centre for Biodiversity, “There is absolutely no justification for releasing these GM mosquitoes. It is highly unethical and totally unacceptable to conduct experiments which carry risks, yet do not bring any benefit for malaria control in Burkina Faso."

African Union’s endorsement of unproven gene drive mosquitoes “misguided”

GM Watch,  GMWatch,  2018-11-05 00:00:00.
The African Union (AU) is paving the way for the entry of the latest and most controversial form of genetic engineering – gene drive technologies. In July 2018 the AU released a report endorsing the development of the technology as well as "enabling legislation" for their deployment across its member states. The African Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), has released a critique of the AU report, which the ACB says is hopelessly premature and merely repeats unsubstantiated claims made by gene drive developers.

A Call to Protect Food Systems from Genetic Extinction Technology

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Global Food and Agriculture Movement,  etc Group,  2018-10-16 20:31:12.
Gene drives threaten natural systems. If released experimentally into the environment they may spread engineered genes uncontrollably through wild and domesticated species. This could alter ecological systems and food webs, harm biodiversity and eradicate beneficial organisms such as pollinators. Gene drives could disrupt lands, waters, food and fiber economies and harm Indigenous and peasant agroecological practices and cultures.

Just Say No to Agricultural Gene Drives

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Bassey-Orovwuje, M.,  Project Syndicate,  2018-10-16 00:00:00.
By forcing laboratory-made genes on an entire population or species, cutting-edge gene-drive technologies have the power to transform entire ecosystems in one fell swoop. But where leading industrial agriculture firms see dollar signs, farmers in the regions where gene drives could be unleashed see a mortal threat to their livelihoods.

Gene drive organisms: Warning of risks due to uncontrolled releases

Then, C,  Testbiotech,  2018-10-12 00:00:00.
The German Ministry for the Environment has in response to an open letter sent by several civil society organisations issued a statement very critical of genetically engineered organisms carrying a so-called gene drive. The ministry announced that it will take action on an international level to make sure that the associated risks are fully investigated.

Forcing the Farm

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etc group,  etc group,  2018-10-10 00:00:00.
This report is being issued as an alert to governments, civil society organisations and grassroots movements. It points to how gene drives, while promoted as a tool for medicine and conservation, will find their real use in food and farming by agribusiness. It calls for a pause in applied research in gene drives and a halt on releases to the environment until a thorough and public process of dialogue has taken place and rules are established that ensure clear consent and defence of food sovereignty

Considerations for the governance of gene drive organisms

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Rudenko, L.P., Megan J.; Oye, Kenneth,  Pathogens and Global Health,  2018-07-05 00:00:00.
Governance is a broader and more flexible concept than statute-driven regulations as it incorporates components outside the latter?s remit. Considerations of governance are critical in the development of emerging biotechnologies such as gene drive organisms. These have been proposed or are being developed to address public and environmental health issues not addressed easily by conventional means. Here, we consider how the concept of governance differs from statute-driven regulation with reference to the role each may play in the development of gene drive organisms. First, we discuss existing statute-based regulatory systems. Second, we consider whether novel risks or different concerns derive from gene drive organisms, concentrating on characteristics that contribute to public health or environmental risk and uncertainties that may affect risk perceptions. Third, we consider public engagement, outlining how existing statute-driven regulatory systems and other governance mechanisms may provide opportunities for constructive interactions. Finally, we provide some observations that may help address science- and values-based concerns in a governance space larger than that of statute-driven regulatory systems.

Editing nature: Local roots of global governance

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Kofler, N.C., James P.; Kuzma, Jennifer; Marris, Emma; Esvelt, Kevin; Nelson, Michael Paul; Newhouse, Andrew; Rothschild, Lynn J.; Vigliotti, Vivian S.; Semenov, Misha; Jacobsen, Rowan; Dahlman, James E.; Prince, Shannon; Caccone, Adalgisa; Brown, Timothy,  Science,  2018-07-05 00:00:00.

Transgenic Mosquitoes – Fact or Fiction?

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Wilke, A. B. B., J. C. Beier and G. Benelli,  Trends in Parasitology,  34:456-465. 2018-03-08 16:14:34.
echnologies for controlling mosquito vectors based on genetic manipulation and the release of genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs) are gaining ground. However, concrete epidemiological evidence of their effectiveness, sustainability, and impact on the environment and nontarget species is lacking; no reliable ecological evidence on the potential interactions among GMMs, target populations, and other mosquito species populations exists; and no GMM technology has yet been approved by the WHO Vector Control Advisory Group. Our opinion is that, although GMMs may be considered a promising control tool, more studies are needed to assess their true effectiveness, risks, and benefits. Overall, several lines of evidence must be provided before GMM-based control strategies can be used under the integrated vector management framework.

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