Animals as Vehicles of Gene Drives

Developed since the mid-1980s, gene drives are a technique that changes genes using genetic engineering so they spread more quickly through a population than they normally would. They are used to either exterminate entire animal populations, decrease population numbers, or change a population’s genotypes. Examples include mosquito, rat, and rabbit gene drives, where millions of transgenic insects or mammals are released into ecosystems. While most engineered traits in these animals are unlikely to be favored by natural selection, gene drives can spread through an entire population. This gives gene drives the potential to unintentionally affect extraneous ecosystems and trigger the emergence of undesired and unpredicted genetic evolutions in a cascade of animal species including humans. After briefly reviewing the ecological, social, and ethical dimensions of gene drives, this chapter explores their economic impact. It demonstrates, using simple calculations and realistic example scenarios, that their potential economic costs may easily outweigh promised benefits. The chapter proposes economic and regulatory policies to govern gene drives, including a moratorium until risks are minimized, aiming to maximize socio-economic welfare.