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Table 1 Ugandan stakeholders’ hopes and concerns for gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control

From: Ugandan stakeholder hopes and concerns about gene drive mosquitoes for malaria control: new directions for gene drive risk governance

Hope sub-themes

Themes

Concern sub-themes

Effective at reducing malaria

Another possible tool in the fight against malaria

Ability of gene drive mosquitoes to address malaria

Lack of public and political support hinders development and deployment

Technological intervention is ineffective

Ecological impacts

Less environmental impact than chemical pesticides

Socio-economic impacts

Increase in productivity and cost-savings

Impacts of gene drive testing and deployment

Ecological impacts

Decrease in non-target organisms and/or species diversity as the elimination of the mosquito species reverberates through ecosystem

Gene drive construct spreads to, and negatively impacts, non-target organisms through vertical or horizontal gene transfer

Human health impacts

Emergence of new diseases and/or increase in the prevalence of existing diseases

Negative impacts on human health

Socio-economic impacts

Negative impacts on the economy and society

Costs and benefits unfairly distributed

 

Governance of gene drive mosquitoes

Novelty and irreversibility

High risk of irreversibility, uncertainty and lack of experiences create governance challenge

Excitement and hype crowd out alternative approaches to malaria reduction

Inter-state relations

Political conflict between neighbouring African nations

Institutional uncertainty

Unclear regulatory pathway and lack of regulatory capacity

Lack of transparency and independence

Lack of clarity on liability and responsibility