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<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">apologies for cross-postings* </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><?xml:namespace
prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">*not for public circulation yet, embargoed till 20 Dec
2010*</FONT></SPAN></P>
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size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Dear friends and colleagues</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><o:p><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">GM mosquitoes are poised for release in <?xml:namespace
prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
/><st1:country-region w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:country-region> and have already
been released in the <st1:place w:st="on">Cayman Islands</st1:place>. There are
many serious concerns about these GM mosquitoes. As such, we have drafted the
following statement of concern (attached and pasted below) from civil society
organizations, for which we are seeking international organizational
endorsements. Please also circulate widely to your networks so we can get as
many signatures as possible, but note that the letter should not be made public
yet. The letter will be sent to the relevant ministries and agencies in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> on 20 December. We apologize
for the short turn around time, but the matter is urgent as we fear that field
releases may have already occurred. </FONT></SPAN></P>
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size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Please send all organizational endorsements to </FONT><A
href="mailto:twnkl@twnetwork.org"><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">twnkl@twnetwork.org</FONT></A><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"> by 5pm (GMT), 20 December, Monday.</FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><o:p><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Many thanks,</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Lim Li Ching and Lim Li Lin</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT size=3><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><st1:place w:st="on"><SPAN lang=EN-GB>Third
World</SPAN></st1:place><SPAN lang=EN-GB> Network (TWN)</SPAN></FONT></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><o:p><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<HR align=center SIZE=2 width="100%">
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size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><o:p><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">-------------------------------------- </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><o:p><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"> </FONT></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">To:</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Y.B. Dato’ Sri Liow Tiong Lai, Minister of
Health</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Y.B. Dato Sri Douglas Uggah Embas, Minister of Natural
Resources and Environment</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Tan Sri Dato’ Sri Dr Hj Mohd. Ismail bin Merican,
Director General of Health</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Dato’ Zoal Azha bin Yusof, Secretary General, Ministry of
Natural Resources & Environment and Chairperson, National Biosafety Board
(NBB)</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Dr Shahnaz Murad, Director, Institute of Medical Research
(IMR)</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Mr Letchumanan Ramatha, Director General of
Biosafety</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Dr Ahmad Parveez Hj. Ghulam Kadir, Chairperson, Genetic
Modification Advisory Committee (GMAC)</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">20 December 2010</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN></B> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN></B> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Statement of concern from civil society organizations
regarding field release of genetically modified mosquitoes</FONT></SPAN></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">As civil society organizations from around the world, we
write to you to respectfully put forward our views on the issue of the release
of genetically modified (GM) <I>Aedes aegypti</I> mosquitoes in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. It is not clear if such
releases have already occurred, but given the tremendous international interest
in the issue, it would be regrettable if the field trials were to be shrouded in
secrecy.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><FONT
face="Times New Roman"><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3>We are equally concerned by
news of the field releases in 2009 and 2010 of the same GM mosquitoes in the
<st1:place w:st="on">Cayman Islands</st1:place> and call for a transparent
assessment of the health and environmental impacts of these trials, pending
which, no further field releases of GM mosquitoes should occur. The Cayman
trials have also been strongly criticized for being conducted without public
consultation or ethical oversight</FONT></SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: ArialMT; FONT-SIZE: 15pt" lang=EN-GB> </SPAN><SPAN
lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3>and for not seeking the informed consent from local
people.</FONT></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">While we appreciate that dengue is a serious problem in
<st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> and that urgent measures are
needed to address this debilitating disease, the release of GM mosquitoes
presents a unique moment in the history of the application of genetic
engineering technology, which is of international importance. We know that the
government of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region> has not taken this decision
lightly, and appreciate the efforts that have been made to responsibly assess
the technology and the risks associated with the release of these GM mosquitoes
into the environment. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><I><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman">Scientific uncertainties call for a precautionary
approach</FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">However, there are several outstanding scientific issues
that would benefit from a more cautious approach. GM mosquitoes are a very new
application of GM technology and present very different risks, and for which the
international community has had virtually no risk assessment or regulatory
experience. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Unintended and unpredictable changes may occur (often not
instantly noticeable), and a focus on testing for these effects in the
laboratory should be the first step, rather than testing fitness parameters in
the open environment, as appears to be the intention of these field trials.
Further, the interactions in the wild between the two dengue-carrying mosquito
species, their predators and prey, the evolution of the diseases that they
carry, and the human population should be better understood before introducing
changes of this kind. This requires more sophisticated computer modelling,
informed by a better understanding of the behaviour of unmodified mosquitoes in
the wild. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">It would be therefore prudent to ensure that any
questions remaining should be first investigated in order to plug the data gaps
that currently exist. As such, a precautionary approach dictates that it is
still too early for any open field releases, especially given the fact that
there will be GM mosquitoes, including females which potentially transmit
disease, surviving in the environment due to the known leakiness of the
technology employed. Of particular concern is whether the survival rates in
subsequent generations will eventually select for mosquitoes that can overcome
the conditional lethality trait. Survival of the GM larvae also means that the
transgenes may not be completely removed from the environment, with unknown
consequences.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><I><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN></I></B> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><I><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman">Pitfalls of a GM mosquito strategy for dengue
control </FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">If the world is to approach dengue control using GM
mosquitoes, we may be locking ourselves onto a ‘genetic treadmill’, which would
be difficult to reverse. At the commercial release stage, the continuous release
of millions of GM mosquitoes at several places would be needed in order to
successfully suppress target mosquito populations. In such large numbers the
concerns raised over the field trials would be magnified many times over, plus
would raise other additional risks.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">From the public health perspective, of particular concern
is whether population suppression of <I>Aedes aegypti</I> (which is the ultimate
aim of these GM mosquitoes) would lead to other closely related and
disease-transmitting species, such as <I>Aedes albopictus</I>, filling the
vacated niche and hence continue to cause, or even worsen, the dengue problem,
or transmission of other serious diseases. </FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">The company that produces and owns the GM <I>Aedes
aegypti</I> mosquitoes, UK-based Oxitec Limited, is also developing a similar GM
<I>Aedes albopictus</I> mosquito, presumably in anticipation of this problem.
Oxitec clearly stands to gain from the approval of its products in countries
such as <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Malaysia</st1:place></st1:country-region>. However, it is unclear who
will bear the liability and from whom victims should seek redress, should any
damage to the environment or human health or animal health
occur.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><B><I><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT
size=3 face="Times New Roman">Right to health and participation are
priorities</FONT></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Instead of a dengue control strategy beholden to private
and vested interests, the participation of people and peoples’ organizations is
essential to and would benefit the formulation, implementation and evaluation of
all health policies and programmes. We urge the Malaysian government to ensure
meaningful and effective public participation on this matter, as it is committed
to under its Biosafety Act 2007 and as a Party to the Cartagena Protocol on
Biosafety. There is also a need to put in place a serious and proper prior
informed consent regime, especially considering that the whole world will be
looking to the Malaysian experience as a model.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Human well-being is at the core of public health and
governments have a duty to respect, protect and fulfil peoples’ right to health,
as well as refrain from taking actions that can jeopardize the right to health
of its citizens. We therefore respectfully urge the Malaysian government to
reconsider the decision to allow field experiments of the GM mosquitoes, not
only for the benefit of Malaysians, but also for the world at large.
</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Thank you for your kind consideration of our
views.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman"></FONT></SPAN> </P>
<P style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class=MsoNormal><SPAN lang=EN-GB><FONT size=3
face="Times New Roman">Yours sincerely,
</FONT></SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>