LAUSR

The discovery of CRISPR has led to the development of gene drive systems that could be used to spread desired traits in a target species or to exterminate a population within a few generations. It is no surprise then that such a controversial and disruptive technology has raised hopes and fears regarding its application for public health, conservation, or agriculture. It has even prompted a call for a moratorium on genetically engineered gene drive last year that was signed by about 160 organizations (http://www.synbiowatch.org/gene-drives/gene-drives-moratorium/). In reaction to this call, an open letter was addressed to the Parties to the 13th meeting on the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in December 2016 in Mexico and the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, requesting support on gene drive research. Interestingly, this call was presented on the website of Target Malaria (http://targetmalaria.org/open-letter/), a consortium that is developing a gene drive approach to suppress the populations of mosquito malaria vectors. About 80 scientists, most of whom are involved in insect research and malaria control, have signed this open letter. At the end, the call for a …