[extropy-chat] Good application of GMO

[Max More]

I have a paragraph in a recently completed chapter of my book that's 
relevant to this:

--------------------------------------
             Talking of dead bodies, if the precautionary principle is used 
to block genetic modification of insects and bacteria, bodies killed by 
Chagas’ disease will continue to pile up. This disease (accompanied by a 
resurgence of malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever) has erupted in Latin 
America, infecting 12 million to 18 million people out of the 90 million in 
the area. Once infected with the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi, carried by 
several species of insects, between 10 and 30 percent of people develop 
chronic, life-threatening maladies such as heart failure. Already, 50,000 
people die from invasion by this organism each year. No vaccine or cure 
exists for Chagas’ disease. That could change if the precautionary 
principle is kept at bay. Scientists hope to augment conventional public 
health measures with genetically modified insects and bacteria. They want 
to use the “sterile-insect technique” to combat Chagas’ disease – but will 
governments mouthing the precautionary principle allow the release of these 
genetically modified bugs?
--------------------------------------

Max


At 09:32 AM 3/10/2005, you wrote:
> >From the Wikipedia:
>"In most female mosquitoes, the mouth parts form a long proboscis for
>piercing the skin of mammals (or in some cases birds or even reptiles
>and amphibians) to suck their blood. The females require protein for
>egg development, and since the normal mosquito diet consists of nectar
>and fruit juice, which has no protein, most must drink blood to get the
>necessary protein. Males differ from females, with mouth parts not
>suitable for blood sucking. Oddly females of one genus of mosquitoes,
>Toxorhynchites, never drinks blood. The larvae of the large mosquito
>are predatory on other mosquito larvae."
>
>It seems to me that genetically engineering other mosquito species to
>live by a Toxorhynchites lifestyle would go a long way to mitigating
>mosquito borne diseases around the world, malaria most of all, which is
>making a resurgence around the world as drug resistance increases as is 
>population.
>
>Mike Lorrey
>Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
>"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
>It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
>                                       -William Pitt (1759-1806)
>Blog: http://intlib.blogspot.com
>
>
>
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_______________________________________________________
Max More, Ph.D.
max at maxmore.com or max at extropy.org
http://www.maxmore.com
Strategic Philosopher
Chairman, Extropy Institute. http://www.extropy.org
_______________________________________________________