Gene drives spread genetic modifications through wild populations at accelerated rates. Their welfare implications range from potentially eliminating disease vector species to unintended ecosystem disruptions.
Gene drives present welfare considerations at multiple scales. The welfare of individual insects in target populations matters to the extent that they are sentient — a question that remains scientifically uncertain but is increasingly taken seriously. The welfare of wildlife whose food webs depend on target species is more clearly relevant — eliminating mosquito species could affect bats, birds, and fish that depend on them. The welfare case for gene drives targeted at disease vectors is strongest where human diseases like malaria kill hundreds of thousands of people annually and the ecological impact of the target species is limited. The precautionary welfare approach supports continued research, rigorous ecological assessment, and international regulatory frameworks before any release.