Claim: A British biotechnology company called Oxitec has a permit to release genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida and Texas.

The Environmental Protection Agency approved the license on May 1. Oxytech Releases genetically engineered mosquitoes in the Florida Keys in Houston and Harris County, Texas.

“To tackle today’s public health challenges head-on, countries need to advance science and advance science in new tools and approaches to better protect the health of all Americans,” he said. EPA News Release..

The permit lasts for two years, but Oxitec needs to “monitor and sample mosquito numbers weekly.”

“EPA also reserves the right to cancel the (permit) at any time during the 24-month period if unexpected results occur,” said the statement.

wait. Why does the company make new kinds of mosquitoes? What purpose does it serve?

A few years ago, people, especially pregnant women Zika virus?

According to Centers for Disease Control, it is a virus that can cause birth defects called microcephaly (an underdeveloped head and brain).

Good at Oxitec claims Its Aedes aegypti (known as OX5034) can significantly reduce the spread of Zika, Dengue, Chikungunya, and Yellow Fever.

The mechanism is as follows

Male mosquitoes don’t bite. They eat nectar of flowers. Basically, male mosquitoes are harmless to humans. However, female mosquitoes use blood to raise eggs.

Oxitec has created a male mosquito with a special gene that prevents female offspring from surviving until they reach adulthood. New men grow up, mate with more women, and eventually the number of Aedes aegypti decreases.

“The continuous, large-scale release of these OX5034 GM men should eventually cause a temporary collapse of the wild population,” Oxitec said.

In Brazil, where the deer struck in 2015 and 2016, the company claims that “friendly” mosquitoes reduced the population of Aedes aegypti from 89% to 96%.

Is there any opposition to these transgenic mosquitoes?

Yes.

More: “Murder Hornets” is in the United States. These other dangerous bugs are more common

Introduction to America

Oxitec has been trying to make Florida the first US testing ground for “friendly” mosquitoes for nearly a decade.

The company approached 2016, but local authorities in Monroe County (Florida Keys) finally voted against it. Oxitec decided to withdraw that request and try again using what was described as an upgraded version of the mosquito. This is what EPA approved on May 1.

More: A small mosquito bites the teenage speaking and walking abilities of this Michigan state. Now she fights.

However, before the weekly mosquito release begins, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District must approve.

The Florida Keys Environmental Alliance wants to persuade authorities not to vote again.

“We have repeatedly asked to work with Oxitec to prove that this technology is safe,” said Barry Ray, executive director of the Florida Keys Environmental Alliance, in 2018 after Oxitec applied for a second permit. Stated in a statement.

“Instead of working with Oxitec to provide this confidence, we see workarounds, false statements, and patterns of obfuscation and leverage marketing and political influence to reach regulatory and community stakeholders. , Persuaded us to pursue a truly poorly designed experiment on our public and ecosystems,” said Rei.

Releases in Texas are not planned until 2021.

Our judgment: true

The claim that the federal government has granted the company permission to release genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida and Texas is true. However, the permit still requires local approval.

Fact check source:

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