Synthetic gene drives in Australia: Implications of emerging technologies

Gene drive mechanisms (or gene drives) cause a gene to spread throughout a population at a rate higher than would normally occur.

The pace at which the gene drive research is moving has triggered international discussion. The scientific community has raised concerns as to when organisms modified with synthetic gene drives should be released, and there is significant discussion among scientists regarding best practice and strategies to manage and mitigate any hazards involved.

This discussion paper considers synthetic gene drives in a specifically Australian context and highlights the potential benefits and hazards of possible applications, emphasising the need to eventually consider these within a risk assessment framework.

Recommendations

The Australian Academy of Science recommends that: 

1. there continues to be clear and transparent communication of governance arrangements regarding regulation of synthetic gene drives
2. resources be provided to study synthetic gene drives in isolated laboratory populations with sample sizes and timeframes that are large enough and/or long enough to observe processes such as selection, resistance evolution, population structuring and transmission distortion, together with the intended and potentially unintended consequences that these process may lead to
3. stringent, multiple containment measures be taken when researching synthetic gene drives
4. any decision to release a synthetic gene drive continues to be made on a case-by-case basis following a comprehensive environmental risk assessment which includes ecological and evolutionary modelling.
5. there be clear communication and consultation with the public through appropriate channels from the earliest stages of gene drive research, particularly  with affected communities.
6. the wider implications of synthetic gene drives (e.g. trade implications) be considered.