# So the FDA approved the release of GMO mosquitoes? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 13, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827 "2016-03-13T02:44:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/1 "2016-03-13T02:44:12Z")
[http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm490246.htm](http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm490246.htm) I mean… what could go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/2 "2016-03-13T02:49:31Z")
From the article. > [@](#): > > that assesses the potential environmental impacts of a field trial of the company’s genetically engineered (GE) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (OX513A) in Key Haven, Florida. > > Oxitec will not conduct the field trial of its OX513A mosquito until the FDA has had the opportunity to review public comments on the draft EA, and subsequently has issued either a final EA and FONSI or an environmental impact statement. They haven’t been released yet. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/3 "2016-03-13T02:57:07Z")
> [@jerry\_smissingfinger](#): > > [http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm490246.htm](http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm490246.htm) > > I mean… what could go wrong? [Sunshine and rainbows](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430334/) ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/4 "2016-03-13T03:02:13Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > [Sunshine and rainbows](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0430334/) I’ll be checkin that out LOL like to see a mosquito man vs the fly ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/5 "2016-03-13T03:06:29Z")
> [@running\_coach](#): > > From the article. > > > [@](#): > > > > that assesses the potential environmental impacts of a field trial of the company’s genetically engineered (GE) Aedes aegypti mosquitoes (OX513A) in Key Haven, Florida. > > > > Oxitec will not conduct the field trial of its OX513A mosquito until the FDA has had the opportunity to review public comments on the draft EA, and subsequently has issued either a final EA and FONSI or an environmental impact statement. > > They haven’t been released yet. Oh, well, so long as they get all their paperwork done, I’m sure it’ll be fine. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/6 "2016-03-13T03:11:51Z")
What do you think will go wrong? And how does that compare with potentially getting rid of a vector for some of the biggest viral killers? ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/7 "2016-03-13T03:26:55Z")
As always, when this topic comes up, see here: [GM Mosquitoes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18096147&postcount=10) ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/8 "2016-03-13T03:27:40Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > What do you think will go wrong? And how does that compare with potentially getting rid of a vector for some of the biggest viral killers? I have no clue about things like this but surely there are some folks here that have worked and studied this method of virus control. What are the risk factors if any? There has to be some risk right? ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/9 "2016-03-13T03:29:41Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > As always, when this topic comes up, see here: > > [GM Mosquitoes](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18096147&postcount=10) Thanks you were actually the person i was hoping would comment, I will read your info again ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/10 "2016-03-13T03:32:04Z")
As for what can go wrong, damn little. Worst that can happen is that it won’t work, and based on field trials already completed, that’s unlikely. ---
**Author:** ![jerry\_smissingfinger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e56c9b/32.png) [@jerry\_smissingfinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerry_smissingfinger)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/11 "2016-03-13T03:38:35Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > As for what can go wrong, damn little. Worst that can happen is that it won’t work, and based on field trials already completed, that’s unlikely. Good read and very interesting stuff. Always amazes me who thinks of this stuff and gets paid to do so. Very cool job indeed. This may be a dumb question but suppose the virus is gone and the modified mosquitoes have done their job. What happens to them? Do they just die off or will they survive a few generations? The only thing I know about mosquitoes is the 4 stages of life thanks to trout fishing:D ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/12 "2016-03-13T03:44:02Z")
> [@jerry\_smissingfinger](#): > > This may be a dumb question but suppose the virus is gone and the modified mosquitoes have done their job. What happens to them? Do they just die off or will they survive a few generations? The mosquito population will be suppressed as long as the releases are continued. If the releases are stopped the population will rebound (hopefully the virus will be eliminated by this point but I wouldn’t bet on it). They may eliminate the mosquito population locally, but it’ll quickly reestablish itself once the releases are stopped. This is the strength and the weakness of the RIDL strategy- its not self-sustaining. This is a good or bad thing depending on how you feel about GMOs. The gene drive strategies are self sustaining - theoretically, once released, they spread on their own. These are not near field release yet (at least the ones based on transgenics - Wolbachia releases have been done in many countries at this point, which not technically a GMO strategy, IMO its similar enough). ---
**Author:** ![spamforbrains](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@spamforbrains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spamforbrains)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/13 "2016-03-13T22:07:58Z")
Just a random thought, but why is the FDA regulating this? Shouldn’t it be the EPA? FDA is food and drugs; mosquitoes are neither. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Parker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/35a633/32.png) [@Richard\_Parker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Parker)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/14 "2016-03-13T22:25:26Z")
> [@spamforbrains](#): > > Just a random thought, but why is the FDA regulating this? Shouldn’t it be the EPA? FDA is food and drugs; mosquitoes are neither. The FDA’s regulatory [mandate](https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/21/321) includes any article “intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of . . . animals.” They have interpreted this, not uncontroversially, to encompass genetically modifying animals. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/15 "2016-03-14T01:35:36Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > The mosquito population will be suppressed as long as the releases are continued. If the releases are stopped the population will rebound (hopefully the virus will be eliminated by this point but I wouldn’t bet on it). They may eliminate the mosquito population locally, but it’ll quickly reestablish itself once the releases are stopped. Is there any overlap in the “niche” that the mosquitos are in, such that another species will thrive because of this? And if so, can they starve out the original species being targeted, preventing the rebound? Or is the reality that it will balance back out? ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-the-fda-approved-the-release-of-gmo-mosquitoes/748827/16 "2016-03-14T02:42:49Z")
The species in question is not native to the Americas. Don’t worry about its ecological niche. Note that using a similar technique, they eradicated the screwworm fly from the US, Mexico, Central America, and some of the Caribbean. No one squawked a bit about that.