“Should nature conservationists back genetic engineering of wild species in order to counter the impact of human activity?” This is the question that IUCN members will face at the IUCN Members’ Assembly in Marseille.
Enabled by new genetic engineering techniques such as CRISPR/Cas9, so-called gene drives are designed to spread new genes throughout the genome of wild animal populations. Their future release could have unforeseeable and irreversible consequences for ecosystems and food webs.
Berlin, 13. November 2020 — The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has published an assessment on whether the currently existing European guidelines for the risk assessment of genetically modified insects are sufficient for the risk assessment of genetically modified Gene Drive insects.