It depends on whether the main political objection is that “GMO’s are scary” or that “killing mosquitoes will disrupt ecosystems”. (I’ve heard both objections, but strongly disagree with them).
If you made malaria-resistant mosquitoes, you’d actually have GMO mosquitoes biting people. With a gene drive that prevents female mosquito development, no transgenic mosquitoes would bite people since they would all be male.
Who is making the “GMOs are scary” and “killing mosquitoes will disrupt ecosystems” argument? The African public? African government officials? Or Westerners who have no skin in the game? If the latter, then why should we care about what they think? The important thing is public sentiment in Africa. If that goes well, then things should be fine.
Consider, for instance, George W. Bush. A fairly mixed reputation in the West, reviled in the Middle-East and beloved by Africans. Wait, what? Bush championed an anti-Aids initiative in Africa which saved the lives of millions. Westerner’s, and people form the Middle East don’t hear about this, but the people whom the initiative affected sure do and they approve.
It depends on whether the main political objection is that “GMO’s are scary” or that “killing mosquitoes will disrupt ecosystems”. (I’ve heard both objections, but strongly disagree with them).
If you made malaria-resistant mosquitoes, you’d actually have GMO mosquitoes biting people. With a gene drive that prevents female mosquito development, no transgenic mosquitoes would bite people since they would all be male.
Who is making the “GMOs are scary” and “killing mosquitoes will disrupt ecosystems” argument? The African public? African government officials? Or Westerners who have no skin in the game? If the latter, then why should we care about what they think? The important thing is public sentiment in Africa. If that goes well, then things should be fine.
Consider, for instance, George W. Bush. A fairly mixed reputation in the West, reviled in the Middle-East and beloved by Africans. Wait, what? Bush championed an anti-Aids initiative in Africa which saved the lives of millions. Westerner’s, and people form the Middle East don’t hear about this, but the people whom the initiative affected sure do and they approve.