The Delta MVCD - Oxitec Mosquito Project
Innovative mosquito control interventions are urgently needed to address the spread of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in California. This invasive, disease-spreading species has spread rapidly through the state magnified by climate change, increasing global travel, and trade.
Following the successful launch of its Friendly™ Aedes aegypti pilot project in the Florida Keys, Oxitec received approval in March 2022 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to pilot our innovative mosquito control technology in California in partnership with the Delta Mosquito & Vector Control District (Delta MVCD).
Oxitec filed a Research Authorization (RA) application with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) in 2022 to conduct a pilot program of our Friendly™ Aedes aegypti solution. This RA application was voluntarily paused in April 2023 as the timelines associated with DPR’s review and engagement process precluded the deployment of a field pilot in 2023.
Oxitec will re-submit its application for field pilot authorization to DPR for coming mosquito seasons. In the meantime, Oxitec will continue to work with its local partners and stakeholders on outreach, education and public engagement efforts throughout the state. Elsewhere in the U.S., Oxitec will focus on completing a third Friendly™ Aedes aegypti pilot season in Florida, in partnership with the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District.
Support for Oxitec’s Field Pilot Application
Oxitec’s efforts in California have been strongly supported by a broad range of stakeholders, ranging from national associations of public health agencies to local vector control districts and community groups, throughout the state and nationally. Oxitec’s application generated significant support from those seeking safe and effective Aedes aegypti control solutions for the state’s growing Aedes aegypti challenges.
Below are links to a selection of organizations that provided statements of support for Oxitec’s RA application:
Endorsement from local host government. Statement of support from Medical & Veterinary Entomologist and General Manager, Delta Mosquito and Vector Control District. Link
Endorsement from the Mosquito and Vector Control Association of California (MCVAC). Statement of support from the MVCAC on behalf of California mosquito and vector control districts to protect the health of people living and visiting California. Link
Endorsement from the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA). Statements of support from the AMCA, which is comprised of hundreds of members (government officials, academic scientists, mosquito control professionals). Link1 Link2 Link3
Endorsement from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO). Statement of support from NACCHO, serving all 3000 local health departments. Link
Endorsement from the Entomological Society of America (ESA). Statement of support from ESA, the largest organization in the world serving the professional and scientific needs of entomologists and individuals in related disciplines. Link
Endorsement from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA). Statement of support from NASDA, the national leader for important agricultural issues, representing 50 states and four territories. Link
About Oxitec’s Broader US Efforts
Carrying out field pilot programs in California is one part of Oxitec’s efforts to introduce its safe, non-toxic and proven Friendly™ Aedes aegypti solution to the U.S. In collaboration with its local government partner in Florida, the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District (FKMCD), Oxitec is now entering its third year of field pilots. This comes after two successful seasons of pilot deployments in which Oxitec’s Aedes aegypti have been shown to disperse, mate and reduce local abundance of this invasive, disease-transmitting species.
