US released GE Mosquitoes while India debating GE Mustard

US released GE Mosquitoes while India debating GE Mustard

By:

Vijay Sardana

Specialized in Techno-legal, IPR & Commercial Matters &

Advocate, Supreme Court of India, NGT and Delhi High Court

Did You Know:

• Only female mosquitoes bite. They need a blood meal to produce eggs.
• Male mosquitoes do not bite. They feed on nectar from flowers.

EPA Permits Experimental Release of 2.5 Billion Genetically Engineered Mosquitoes in California and Florida

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has authorised the “experimental use” and release of 2.5 billion genetically engineered (GE) mosquitoes in Florida and California by the British-based firm Oxitec. Oxitec’s technology breeds mosquitoes to include a genetic sequence that makes the mosquito dependent on the antibiotic tetracycline. Without tetracycline, mosquitoes will not develop into adulthood. The company releases male mosquitoes with this genetic sequence into the environment to breed with females. When it works correctly, the offspring produced will also have tetracycline dependency and not develop into adulthood.

Genetically modified (GM) mosquitoes

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes spread viruses including dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. Aedes mosquitoes are common throughout many areas of the United States.

Ae. aegypti mosquitoes can be genetically modified and used to control other Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in a community. In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has authorised the use of OX5034 GM Ae. aegypti mosquitoes for release in counties in Florida and Texas. This EPA authorization allows local mosquito control programs to evaluate how effective GM mosquitoes are in reducing Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in areas where they have been released.

How GM mosquitoes are produced and used to control Ae. aegypti mosquitoes?

GM mosquitoes are mass-produced in a laboratory to carry two types of genes:

• A self-limiting gene that prevents female mosquito offspring from surviving to adulthood.
• A fluorescent marker gene that glows under a special red light. This allows researchers to identify GM mosquitoes in the wild.

GM mosquitoes produced in the laboratory lay eggs. These eggs carry the self-limiting and fluorescent marker genes.

GM mosquito eggs that carry the self-limiting gene are released into an area. Once they have hatched and developed through to the adult stage, they are available to mate with wild females. The genes are passed onto offspring.

The female offspring die before they become adults. The expected result is that the number of Ae. aegypti mosquitoes in the area decrease.

Effectiveness of GM mosquitoes in reducing the number of mosquitoes

GM mosquitoes have been successfully used in parts of Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Panama, and India to control Ae. aegypti mosquitoes. Since 2019, over 1 billion mosquitoes have been released.

When GM mosquitoes stop being released into an area, the Ae. aegypti mosquito population will slowly return to “normal levels.”

GM mosquitoes will only work to reduce the number of target mosquito species (e.g., Ae. aegypti), no other types of mosquitoes. Most communities have more than one type of mosquito.

GM mosquitoes do not pose a risk to people, animals, or the environment

The EPA evaluated the potential risk of releasing GM mosquitoes into communities and determined that there is no risk to people, animals, or the environment.

GM mosquitoes for disease outbreak control

The release of GM mosquitoes is not intended to stop an ongoing disease outbreak. Instead, GM mosquitoes are meant to help prevent disease outbreaks. Releasing GM mosquitoes over several months can reduce the number of specific mosquito species, such as Ae. aegypti. Reducing the number of mosquitoes that can spread germs can help reduce the chance of an outbreak starting. We do know that the best way to prevent disease is to control mosquitoes before an outbreak happens.

GM mosquitoes and integrated mosquito management

Using GM mosquitoes may be more effective if used along with other mosquito control methods as part of an integrated mosquito management (IMM) approach, including:

• Educating the community about how they can control mosquitoes in and around their homes
• Conducting mosquito surveillance (tracking and monitoring the number of mosquitoes, and types of mosquitoes in an area)
• Removing standing water where mosquitoes lay eggs
• Using larvicides and insecticides to control mosquito larvae, pupae, and adult mosquitoes
• Monitoring how effective mosquito programs are at reducing the number of mosquitoes.

EPA regulates the use of GM mosquitoes in the United States

In the United States, the EPA regulates the use of GM mosquitoes. 

Prior to the release of GM mosquitoes into an area, EPA must grant an Experimental Use Permit

In addition to EPA authorization, the release of GM mosquitoes requires approval from state and local authorities.

Are we equipped to manage disruption in our normal life?

The role of modern technology will always consider disruption as a way forward.

No technology ever got a smooth entry into our society and life. products from all technological innovations faced resistance due to various social, economic, and political reasons.

In today's world, even the utility of 5G, Covid vaccine, and even CCTV is also debated.

There will never be 100% comfort in any technology. Success is between trade-offs and workable compromise.

Question is:

Can you suggest how to address the risk perception of disruptive technological innovations in society?