# 4916
Earlier this year the Malaysian government announced that they would conduct a field test of a new, genetically modified mosquito designed by British-based insect bio-tech company, Oxitec.
This so-called `Terminator’ mosquito has been bio-engineered to carry a lethal gene that it will pass on to its progeny, that will cause them to die in the larval stage.
Oxitec has a short FAQ page on their technology, which you can access here.
The hope is that a release of several thousand of these GM mosquitoes could help reduce the burden of Dengue in hard-hit Malaysia, and provide a limited field test of the technology as well.
But critics and activists have mounted a vigorous campaign to dissuade the Malaysian government from allowing this test. They fear that the introduction of an `artificial’ mosquito into the environment could spark unintended, and harmful, consequences.
In 2009, another planned release of GM mosquitoes on Pulau Ketam island off the port city of Port Klang was aborted because of vocal opposition from the residents.
Last week, the opposition to this latest release grew stronger, as was reported by IPS.
Plan to Use ‘Killer’ Mosquitoes vs Dengue Draws Fire
By Baradan Kuppusamy
KUALA LUMPUR, Sep 17, 2010 (IPS)
Today, embedded mid-way into a report by IOL News, which reports on the 53% increase in Dengue deaths this year in Malaysia, we get word that this planned GM mosquito test would not be implemented, `at the moment’.
Dengue fever death rate spirals
September 20 2010 at 01:59PM
Deputy premier Muhyiddin Yassin stated today:
"Seemingly it is quite an interesting (solution) to deal with such a problem but I think... not until and unless every aspect of research being carried out is clinically tested and... environmental issues have been addressed . . . "
