Practical Considerations for Risk Assessment of Gene Drive Technology
According to the most recent WHO statistics, 216 million people contracted malaria in 2016, with 445,000 deaths. Despite preventive and treatment measures, progress in further reducing the incidence of malaria is currently under threat due to insecticide resistant vectors, drug resistant malaria parasites, and decreased funding for managing this debilitating disease. However, new control strategies are being explored, including the use of gene drive mechanisms to suppress or replace vector mosquito populations in order to reduce the incidence of malaria. With expertise in environmental risk assessment, capacity building, stakeholder engagement and facilitation, the ILSI Research Foundation is able to utilize its global network and leverage its technical experience to help address some of the pressing questions associated with the use of gene drives for malaria vector control. Learn more on our Environmental Risk Assessment of Gene Drives program page.