Box 3 Format of workshops on ERA for gene drive applications

To inform and advance ERA for gene drive applications, 50 experts from Africa, Oceania, Europe and North America representing an array of disciplines including risk assessment, biosafety regulation, modelling, population genetics, social science, ecology, entomology, vector control and molecular biology participated in a series of six online workshops held between 27th April and 7th May 2021. The opening workshop presented key findings from the problem formulation on the specific use of a population suppression gene drive for malaria vector control and framed the overall objectives of the workshops. The next four considered approaches to optimize future ERA for gene drive applications, focussing in particular on engagement, technical aspects of conducting ERA and evaluation of potential ecological risks. The final workshop synthesized the discussions and outputs from the previous five. A subset of participants, the authors here, volunteered to translate the outputs from those workshops into a tangible record of those proceedings with specific recommendations as outlined in this article