Florida residents have launched a campaign to fight the introduction of genetically modified mosquitos in the Florida Keys. British company Oxitec has received preliminary FDA approval to release three million male mosquitos in Key Haven, close to Key West.
These mosquitoes have been genetically modified to produce offspring that would die before adulthood. Oxitec claims that the release of these mosquitos in the Keys would help to prevent the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is known to carry dengue fever, chikungunya and, more recently, the Zika virus.
The proposal comes in the wake of growing concern over the emergence of Zika in Florida. Last year, a NASA research team used factors such as temperature and rainfall to produce a national Zika risk map for the coming summer. The map showed that the areas of highest risk in the US were centered around Miami and the upper Keys.
Earlier this year, the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that the Zika virus is a global threat, following an increasing number of reports from Latin America that seemed to link cases of Zika with brain damage in infants, suggesting that Zika may impact fetal development. Whether this is true or not remains to be proven; however, the threat remains.
Despite this, residents of the Florida Keys remain adamant in their opposition to the proposed GMO mosquito release. Close to 168,000 names have been included on a petition that opposes the plan, a figure that represents more than twice the combined population of the Keys. The local response to the proposed release was so heated that the Florida Keys Mosquito Control Board made the decision to put the issue on last year’s August 30 primary ballot.
Mila de Mier, one of those who started the petition against Oxitec’s planned release, stated, “I’m angry now. They’re doing this against the will of the people.” The petition reflects this sentiment, claiming that “even though the local community in the Florida Keys has spoken – we even passed an ordinance demanding more testing – Oxitec is trying to use a loophole by applying to the FDA for an ‘animal bug’ patent. This could mean that those mutant mosquitos could be released at any point against the wishes of locals and the scientific community.”
They have a point. There have been several cases where genetically modified crops have resulted in unintended consequences: the accidental development of superweeds, ultra-resistant bugs and pests, and species of fungus that have become stronger and more persistent than before. The petition also notes that there has been insufficient research by Oxitec to determine what effects the “mutant mosquitos” might have on the animal and insect populations of Florida, particularly those that depend on the Aedes aegypti mosquito species as a food source.
Despite all this, to date the only viable alternative to Oxitec’s GMO mosquitos is DDT, a noxious insecticide that was banned in the 1970s due to growing concerns over health risks. While this chemical was effective in controlling mosquito populations in the US, it has also been linked to serious health issues in humans, which are still affecting people today. A recent study from the University of California, Davis, found a significant link between prenatal exposure to DDT and an increased risk of developing metabolic syndrome in females. DDT has also been associated with hormonal disruption in humans, miscarriage, hypothyroidism and cancer. The chemical has been classified as a serious environmental toxin that can bioaccumulate in ecosystems and thereby affect countless generations of animals and organisms.
Thus, with Zika on the rise and Florida residents overwhelmingly against the introduction of Oxitec’s mosquitoes, the US government may be starting to seriously consider reintroducing DDT back into the world. That’s a tough decision to make.
Concerned about the spread of the Zika virus? Find out more here.
—Liivi Hess
Sources:
http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/item/22956-florida-residents-fight-to-stop-release-of-genetically-modified-mosquitoes
https://www.change.org/p/say-no-to-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-release-in-the-florida-keys
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/gmo-mosquitoes-might-be-coming-to-save-the-us-from-zika_us_5718f24be4b024dae4f14322
There’s no reason to test the GMO mosquitoes in Florida since they are being tested elsewhere.
Open-minded readers might want to visit the Oxytec site for additional information.
For example:
The technology was initially invented by researchers at Oxford University who then formed a company (i.e. it isn’t the brainchild of some evil corporation). The technology shows promise for the control of a number of damaging insect pests (i.e. should decrease pesticide use).
Initial GMO mosquito trials in the Cayman Islands, Panama and Brazil showed the technology can reduce local populations of Aedes aegypti, the mosquito vector, by over 90%. Mathematical modeling predicted larger-scale deployment would reduce disease transmission.
Initial successes have led to expanded projects. For example (excerpts from news releases):
Jan 19, 2016: “Oxitec and Piracicaba City Hall have expanded the ‘Friendly Aedes aegypti Project’ in Piracicaba, Brazil following strong results for controlling the Ae. aegypti mosquito population, the primary vector for dengue, chikungunya and Zika virus outbreaks around the world.”
May 5, 2016: “Oxitec and the Cayman Islands Mosquito Research and Control Unit (MRCU) announced a new plan to fight wild Aedes aegypti, the dangerous mosquito that spreads dengue, Zika and chikungunya, to prevent the threat of these diseases on the island of Grand Cayman. MRCU, a global leader in mosquito control, is planning a multi-phase roll out of Oxitec’s solution to help reclaim the island from this disease-carrying pest.”
The primary ‘biological competitor’ to the GMO mosquito is the artificial inoculation of Aedes aegypti with Wolbachia bacteria, which naturally infects a large number of insects but not Aedes aegypti and other mosquitoes. In the lab Wolbachia infection was shown to greatly reduce virus transmission but performance in the field appears to be inconsistent; selection of the right Wolbachia strain and maintaining infected mosquito populations are two of the issues. The Gates Foundation has sponsored both GMO mosquito and Wolbachia mosquito research.
Disclosure: I’m a recently retired molecular biologist and have no connection to Oxytec other than buying some stock in the parent company, Intrexon, a few months ago, and again more recently, because I think they stand a reasonable chance of being successful.
Knowledge you can’t find in Wikipedia: Interestingly, Oxitec is supported by and very close with multinational pesticide and seed company, Syngenta. All of Oxitecs head people come from Syngenta. Syngenta, in addition to providing the world with destructive pesticides, has also been charged with covering up the deaths of many animals consuming the company’s GM corn. Being mainly interested in the market for GM agricultural pests, Syngenta as well as Oxitec are planning to commercialize GM insects around the world.What’s especially scary about the release and future modification of thousands of species is that all of this will be done with little risk assessment. Not to mention not knowing of the vast number of negative outcomes that could occur from genetically modifying parts. Dr Helen Wallace, Director of GeneWatch UK said “The public will be shocked to learn that GM insects can be released into the environment without any proper oversight. Conflicts-of-interest should be removed from all decision-making processes to ensure the public have a proper say about these plans.”To help release the GM insects, Oxitec is influencing regulation around the world. One example of influence revolves around the European Food Safety Authority, established to help the risk assessment of GM insects. As reported by FarmWars, there seems to be numerous instances of conflict of interested, which includes experts with links to Oxitec. The connection of those in EFSA and Oxitec is very similar to that of the Monsanto-FDA connection, where several government officials have hard-links to biotech giant Monsanto.The draft Guidance on risk assessment of GM insects shows some significant deficiencies: for example it does not consider the impacts of GM insects on the food chain. Oxitec’s GM insects are genetically engineered to die mostly at the larval stage so dead GM larvae will enter the food chain inside food crops such as olives, cabbages and tomatoes. Living GM insects could also be transported on crops to other farms or different countries. EFSA has excluded any consideration of these important issues from its draft guidance. Many other issues are not properly addressed.A briefing shows how Oxitec is trying to influence regulatory processes for GM insects. Oxitec:Doesn’t want to be liable for any complications.Tries to avoid any regulation of GM agricultural pests on crops appearing in the food chain.Excludes important issues from risk assessments, such as the impact on human immunity and disease, and the possible outcomes arising from surviving GM mosquitoes.Releases large amount of GM mosquitoes prior to regulations.Attempts to define ‘biological containment’ of the insects (which are programmed to die at the larval stage) as contained use, by-passing requirements for risk assessments and consultation on decisions to release GM insects into the environment.Undermining the requirement to obtain informed consent for experiments involving insect species which transmit disease.Ignores any labeling using products produced from GM insects and how insects can be contained where released.
The press cannot remain silent on incorrect information from Oxitec. Oxitec cannot be allowed to put any story in the media without any challenge or fact check as they have done in the past. This misinformation spread by Oxitec is not only anti-science, it also undermines the regulatory process.
The company made these false claims, but they were later caught…even though they continue to tell the same false claims to the press like you see here with :
“These mosquitoes have been genetically modified to produce offspring that would die before adulthood”
About 37:00 Oxitec claims, “we’ll send out the males and like most males they are biologically programmed to look for females. They’ll mate. The female will lay eggs and they won’t survive up to adults.” *url redacted*
It isn’t until Oxitec is called out by an audience member for spreading misinformation that at about 1:13:00 Oxitec admits, “indeed 3-4% of the the offspring that inherit one copy of this gene survive to adult” That is still different then what they say on their website where 3-5% survive and in their own study where they admit 15% or more survive in the presence of cat food. *url redacted*
This company can’t keep their story straight.
Even the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization states, “The transgenic approaches instead can have potentially unforeseen consequences because the released insects are not sterile and therefore will reproduce and become established.”
*url redacted*
These GE mosquitoes can also definitely transfer mosquito borne diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya, etc. and they are releasing millions of mosquitoes, including thousands of females. So this increase in females has the potential to increase mosquito-borne diseases. So they can potentially increase mosquito-borne diseases by releasing thousands of additional females.
So this is a lose-lose situation. There is no benefit for the people and there is potential risk. This is why the people in the Keys, who have been lied to first-hand, are the ones with NO CONSENT signs.
Claims that, “to date the only viable alternative to Oxitec’s GMO mosquitos is DDT” are inaccurate. There are a wide variety of alternatives already being tested that work much better than Oxitec’s GE mosquitoes, like wolbachia, Beauveria bassiana and dozens of others. Unlike Oxitec’s GE mosquitoes these techniques actually inhibit mosquito-borne virus replication.
The press cannot remain silent on incorrect information from Oxitec. Oxitec cannot be allowed to put any story in the media without any challenge or fact check as they have done in the past. This misinformation spread by Oxitec is not only anti-science, it also undermines the regulatory process.
The company made these false claims, but they were later caught…even though they continue to tell the same false claims to the press like you see here with :
“These mosquitoes have been genetically modified to produce offspring that would die before adulthood”
At a townhall meeting in the Keys Oxitec claims, “we’ll send out the males and like most males they are biologically programmed to look for females. They’ll mate. The female will lay eggs and they won’t survive up to adults.”
It isn’t until Oxitec is called out by an audience member for spreading misinformation that Oxitec admits, “indeed 3-4% of the the offspring that inherit one copy of this gene survive to adult” That is still different then what they say on their website where 3-5% survive and in their own study where they admit 18% or more survive in the presence of cat food.
This company can’t keep their story straight.
Even the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization states, “The transgenic approaches instead can have potentially unforeseen consequences because the released insects are not sterile and therefore will reproduce and become established.”
These GE mosquitoes can also definitely transfer mosquito borne diseases such as dengue fever, chikungunya, etc. and they are releasing millions of mosquitoes, including thousands of females. So this increase in females has the potential to increase mosquito-borne diseases. So they can potentially increase mosquito-borne diseases by releasing thousands of additional females.
So this is a lose-lose situation. There is no benefit for the people and there is potential risk. This is why the people in the Keys, who have been lied to first-hand, are the ones with NO CONSENT signs.
Claims that, “to date the only viable alternative to Oxitec’s GMO mosquitos is DDT” are inaccurate. There are a wide variety of alternatives already being tested that work much better than Oxitec’s GE mosquitoes, like wolbachia, Beauveria bassiana and dozens of others. Unlike Oxitec’s GE mosquitoes these techniques actually inhibit mosquito-borne virus replication.