Oxitec has already PR problem with it’s current approach where they can prove that all mosquitos don’t leave ancestors and where they focus on disease carrying mosquitos that are invading species.
The economic cost of dengue is phenomenal and was estimated to have cost the global economy over US$39 billion in 2011 alone
Spending a few billions on eliminating disease carrying mosquitos would be okay.
Even if over the long-term using the gene drive technology is the best way to go, I don’t think it’s the best way to have the discussion at the beginning when they idea of eliminating mosquito species enters public consciousness.
“Oxitec’s GM mosquitoes have a genetic ‘kill switch’ but no one is sure if it will work on just the GM variety or also on the bugs that interbreed with the GM ‘test’ insects. ”
If only there was some way to physically scream “THAT’S THE FUCKING POINT!” at the author. The whole point is to spread the “kill switch” to the wild mosquitoes.To kill them.
The Daily mail article appears to be referring to this:
where people started pointing to GM mosquitos having been released in areas where zika has been spreading.
never mind that areas where mosquito’s are the biggest problem are the areas where you try mosquito control, in a similar vein it’s suspicious that most malaria deaths are in areas where bednets have previously been distributed. There can be only one conclusion: bednets cause malaria.
Oxitec has already PR problem with it’s current approach where they can prove that all mosquitos don’t leave ancestors and where they focus on disease carrying mosquitos that are invading species.
See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3425381/Are-scientists-blame-Zika-virus-Researchers-released-genetically-modified-mosquitos-Brazil-three-years-ago.html http://naturalsociety.com/outrage-oxitecs-gm-moths-are-released-in-new-york/
According to Oxitec:
Spending a few billions on eliminating disease carrying mosquitos would be okay.
Even if over the long-term using the gene drive technology is the best way to go, I don’t think it’s the best way to have the discussion at the beginning when they idea of eliminating mosquito species enters public consciousness.
Oh my god those articles are stupid.
If only there was some way to physically scream “THAT’S THE FUCKING POINT!” at the author. The whole point is to spread the “kill switch” to the wild mosquitoes.To kill them.
The Daily mail article appears to be referring to this:
http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2987024/pandoras_box_how_gm_mosquitos_could_have_caused_brazils_microcephaly_diasaster.html
where people started pointing to GM mosquitos having been released in areas where zika has been spreading.
never mind that areas where mosquito’s are the biggest problem are the areas where you try mosquito control, in a similar vein it’s suspicious that most malaria deaths are in areas where bednets have previously been distributed. There can be only one conclusion: bednets cause malaria.