Burkina Faso Set For Risky GM Mosquitoes Trial With ‘No Benefits’

Genetically modified (GM) “male-sterile” mosquitoes are due to be released in Burkina Faso this year by the Target Malaria research consortium. However, Target Malaria, which is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation amongst others, acknowledges that there are no benefits to the proposed GM mosquito release.

The project is set to apply for a permit to make an open release of 10,000 GM Anopheles gambiae mosquitoes: most likely in the village of Bana, west of Bobo Dioulasso. The GM mosquitoes were exported from Imperial College in London to Burkina Faso in November 2016 and are currently in “contained use” facilities.