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It seems the FUD regarding this is very similar to anti-vax FUD. Yes, if you are not careful vaccines can cause massive problems. In addition, theoretical down

It seems the FUD regarding this is very similar to anti-vax FUD. Yes, if you are not careful vaccines can cause massive problems. In addition, theoretical downsides that have been considered and deemed unlikely by the scientific community (like making it seem that disease carrying mosquitos are an irreplaceable food source) are trotted out again and again. In addition, just like with vaccines, the risk of doing nothing (kids die from measles, etc in the case of vaccines, and kids die from malaria and Zika, etc in the case of mosquito control).

DubiousPusher 6y ago
Except this isn't like vaccines. Vaccines are tried and true over decades. They also can't proliferate on their own and become self sustaining. Based on what I've read this sounds safe but that is not a fair analogy and given our pretty crappy track record of screwing up local ecosystems by trying to introduce balancing species, I'd say this warrants caution and wouldn't fault people their discomfort.
- admax88q 6y ago
  > Vaccines are tried and true over decades. Can only become tried and true if you actually try it ;).
- bawolff 6y ago
  To nitpick, "They also can't proliferate on their own and become self sustaining." - for live vaccines (not the type used for covid) that can be a reasonable concern
- RcouF1uZ4gsC 6y ago
  Gentically modified organisms are also a technology that has been tried and true for decades. Even with vaccines there have been issues. See for example the Russian vaccine with the live virus. Or people who have caught polio from the Sabine vaccine. Or the kids with bowel intusseception from the Rotavirus vaccines. Or the scare about blood clots with Astra-Zeneca and J&J. You will never be able to achieve 100% safety with zero risk. However, you have to consider the trade offs and the baseline risks. I think when you consider this for both vaccines and genetically modified mosquitoes, the benefits far outweighs the risks. Edit: Also, Moderna and Pfizer are the first vaccines to use mRNA technology. Because they haven’t been tried and true for decades, which seems to be your standard of safety, would you advise people not to take them?
- mbesto 6y ago
  Great example of what happens when you disrupt one part of a food chain: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral-overfishing.html https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral-overfishing.html

DubiousPusher 6y ago

Except this isn't like vaccines. Vaccines are tried and true over decades. They also can't proliferate on their own and become self sustaining. Based on what I've read this sounds safe but that is not a fair analogy and given our pretty crappy track record of screwing up local ecosystems by trying to introduce balancing species, I'd say this warrants caution and wouldn't fault people their discomfort.

admax88q 6y ago
> Vaccines are tried and true over decades. Can only become tried and true if you actually try it ;).
bawolff 6y ago
To nitpick, "They also can't proliferate on their own and become self sustaining." - for live vaccines (not the type used for covid) that can be a reasonable concern
RcouF1uZ4gsC 6y ago
Gentically modified organisms are also a technology that has been tried and true for decades. Even with vaccines there have been issues. See for example the Russian vaccine with the live virus. Or people who have caught polio from the Sabine vaccine. Or the kids with bowel intusseception from the Rotavirus vaccines. Or the scare about blood clots with Astra-Zeneca and J&J. You will never be able to achieve 100% safety with zero risk. However, you have to consider the trade offs and the baseline risks. I think when you consider this for both vaccines and genetically modified mosquitoes, the benefits far outweighs the risks. Edit: Also, Moderna and Pfizer are the first vaccines to use mRNA technology. Because they haven’t been tried and true for decades, which seems to be your standard of safety, would you advise people not to take them?
mbesto 6y ago
Great example of what happens when you disrupt one part of a food chain: https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral-overfishing.html https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/coral-overfishing.html