A “solution-focused” comparative risk assessment of conventional and synthetic biology approaches to control mosquitoes carrying the dengue fever virus

Abstract

Emerging technologies often pose various uncertain health risks that cause policymakers to hesitate to allow resultant products and processes to enter the market-but they also may offer large benefits, including the potential to greatly reduce some of the very risks currently most greatly affecting public health and the environment. Synthetic biology serves as one such emerging technology that, despite its potential benefits to various fields, gives policymakers pause until the human and environmental health risks posed by genetically engineered organisms are better characterized and assessed. Given various limitations of our current paradigm for making risk management decisions, some of which are caused by limitations of conventional methods of quantitative risk assessment (QRA), a modified approach to emerging technology characterization and assessment might be a needed step change. This paper demonstrates how one such approach-"solution-focused risk assessment" (Finkel, Hum Ecol Risk Assess 17(4):754-787, 2011)-can help evaluate synthetic biology products against conventional competitors. Specifically, this paper conducts a SFRA for Oxitec's engineered Aedes aegypti mosquito, which serves as a synthetic biology option for dengue virus vector control.

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) against Aedes Species Mosquitoes: A Roadmap and Good Practice Framework for Designing, Implementing and Evaluating Pilot Field Trials

“…This can be given by an institutional ethics board or other appropriate committee and, if applicable, by any relevant national or regional board. The community engagement plan can be used to demonstrate accountability to ethics boards by having appropriate and relevant communication, and associated risk assessment, based on an inventory of identified plausible risks [28,31]. There are particular ethical considerations for trials taking place in regions where education and literacy may be limited and communication plans are vital [32].…”

Capítulo 8 - Aplicações da nanotecnologia em tratamentos antivirais

“…Isso também é válido para doenças humanas, como a dengue, a febre amarela, a chikungunya e a zika. Devido a tal fato, o mosquito transmissor dessas doenças tem sido alvo de inúmeras pesquisas, visando ao seu combate como forma de prevenir as viroses 120,121 .…”

Emerging Biosecurity Threats and Responses: A Review of Published and Gray Literature

“…Weidmann (2018) defines gene drives as the "experimental techniques which are supposed to push foreign genes into the chromosomes of wild populations with the aim to change the complete organisms in just a few generations." Popular examples of the potentially beneficial application of gene drives include reducing populations of mosquitos responsible for spreading dengue fever and malaria (Finkel et al 2019;Weidmann 2018) and exterminating introduced rodents that predate on endangered reptiles and birds from islands (Weidmann 2018). However, since biological organisms and viruses are capable of reproducing, mutating, and sharing genes, there is little way to guarantee that the intended modification will be contained in the target population only and little way to anticipate the cascading environmental consequences of manipulating populations of species in such a way.…”