US - Fears voiced over the planned introduction of genetically modified mosquitoes
This
week, applications by British company Oxitec to release GE olive flies
in Spain & Brazil, were withdrawn. The company was unable to provide
evidence to the
Spanish & Brazilian
governments that these insects would not harm humans or the
environment. Oxitec is still pushing for approval to release
experimental genetically engineered mosquitoes into the Florida Keys.
The FDA is, as usual, asleep at the wheel. Please sign the petition and
contact the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District to update them on
this very important development. Oxitec can't provide evidence of the
safety of these insects and should therefore, not be allowed to release
them.
Tell the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District to stop GM mosquito
experiments: http://keysmosquito.org/contact-form
You can also call & email at this address:
Phone: 305.292.7190
Email: keysmosquito@gmail.com
SIGN the Petition: https://www.change.org/petitions/say-no-to-genetically-modified-mosquitoes-release-in-the-florida-keys
READ: http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2013/11/9/genetically-modifiedmosquitoessetoffuproarinfloridakeys.html
READ MORE: http://www.scribd.com/doc/100213440/Issue-Brief-GE-Mosquitoes-in-U-S
SAMPLE TEXT COMMENT, or write your own:
I urge you to reject Oxitec’s bid to experiment with GM mosquitoes in
the Florida Keys. Oxitech recently withdrew applications to release GM
Olive flies in Spain & Brazil because they don't have evidence that
their GM insects are safe for humans and for our environment.
Oxitec admits their system isn't foolproof. About one female is
accidentally released for every 1,500 male mosquitoes and the
consequence of being bit by one these genetically engineered female
mosquitoes is unknown. Biting female mosquitoes could inject an
engineered protein into humans along with other proteins from the
mosquitoes’ salivary gland. Oxitec has yet to conduct or publish any
study showing that this protein is not expressed in the salivary gland
and therefore cannot be passed on to humans.
We need more data. If something goes wrong the consequences could be
catastrophic not only for humans but also the whole ecosystem. I don’t
want this experimentation done in Florida or any part of our country.
#oxitec #FDA #AedesAegypti #mosquitoes #GEMosquito #GMMosquito #florida #floridakeys #gmo #gmofreeflorida #gmofreeusa
