Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Correspondence
  • Published:

Reply to GM sterile mosquitoes—a cautionary note

Nature Biotechnology volume 24, page 1068 (2006)Cite this article

Peter Atkinson responds:

Knols et al. draw attention to two important points: that any new genetic strain developed for use in the sterile insect technique must undergo rigorous testing to ensure that it meets the necessary quality control standards required for the successful application of this technique; and that there must be full consultation with the public, stakeholders and any other interested parties before transgenic strains can be released. These self-evident facts are not in dispute; rather, the advance reported by Crisanti and colleagues in Nature Biotechnology illustrates that recombinant techniques are now generating genetic strains that may now be appropriate for assessment and, pending the outcome, deployment in insect genetic control programs. The application of these developments do need to be openly discussed in the type of forum outlined by Knols et al. and, toward this goal, preliminary workshops on this topic have already been convened1.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Takken, W. & Scott, T.W. (eds.) Ecological Aspects for Application of Genetically Modified Mosquitoes. Reports from a Workshop held at Wageningen University and Research Center, June 2002 (Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2003).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Reply to GM sterile mosquitoes—a cautionary note. Nat Biotechnol 24, 1068 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0906-1068a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nbt0906-1068a

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing