Policy Brief Tackles Field Evaluations of Gene Drive Organisms

ISAAA Inc., in partnership with the Outreach Network for Gene Drive Research, released a new policy brief that discusses field evaluations of gene drive organisms. The policy brief, titled Field Evaluations of Gene Drive Organisms, is the third in the series of policy briefs that aim to present proposed policy options and impacts that address issues relating to gene drive technology.

The following questions were answered in the third policy brief:

• Key considerations before proposing a field evaluation involving an experimental release
• Field release preparation and design
• Field release approval and oversight
• Policy recommendations

According to the policy brief, field evaluations are needed to understand the performance, spread, and persistence of a gene drive organism in a given environment. Several field evaluations of different designs and sizes might be needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of a proposed application. Field evaluations for proposed gene drive applications are part of a multi-phase research process and will inform several important considerations that researchers must address to prepare for an experimental release, including safety and impacts, acceptability for affected stakeholders, and the logistics of its implementation.

To learn more about the field evaluations for gene drive organisms, download and read the policy brief from the ISAAA Inc. website.