On Oct. 14, 2020, recognizing the urgent need for new tools to combat vector-borne diseases (VBDs), and in the spirit of fostering innovation, WHO announced that it supported the investigation of all potentially beneficial technologies, including genetically modified mosquitoes (GMMs).

Each year, more than 700 000 people die from VBDs such as malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis, among others. More than 80% of the global population lives in areas at risk of at least one major vector-borne disease.