Applying the Protective Precautionary Principle to the Ethical Use of Gene Drive Technology for Anopheles gambiae Suppression in Malaria Control

Malaria contributes to poverty and illness, which further hinder productivity and income generation. Therefore, combating malaria is crucial for breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. Genome editing technologies, such as gene drives designed to suppress Anopheles gambiae mosquito populations, the ve...

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Bibliographic Details
Subtitles:Will Cultured Meat and Fish Save Nonhuman Animals? On Promises and Perils of Consuming Animal Cells For Food
Main Author: Wongsamut, Nucharee (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
Check availability: HBZ Gateway
Interlibrary Loan:Interlibrary Loan for the Fachinformationsdienste (Specialized Information Services in Germany)
Published: 2025
In: Journal of applied animal ethics research
Year: 2025, Volume: 7, Issue: 2, Pages: 153-168
Further subjects:B malaria control
B Precautionary Principle
B gene drives
B gene editing
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
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Summary:Malaria contributes to poverty and illness, which further hinder productivity and income generation. Therefore, combating malaria is crucial for breaking the vicious cycle of poverty. Genome editing technologies, such as gene drives designed to suppress Anopheles gambiae mosquito populations, the vector for malaria, have emerged as potential tools in this fight. However, a significant ethical question arises: under what conditions is the use of gene drive technology to suppress Anopheles gambiae mosquito populations justified? This article argues that the Protective Precautionary Principle can serve as a suitable framework for morally assessing such cases. Within this framework, the use of gene drive technology for Anopheles gambiae population suppression would be permissible for laboratory research only. This limited scope minimizes the risk of unforeseen negative consequences, particularly for disadvantaged populations who may have fewer resources to protect themselves from such effects.
ISSN:2588-9567
Contains:Enthalten in: Journal of applied animal ethics research
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1163/25889567-bja10061