With dengue and malaria wrecking havoc in the country this year, genetically modified mosquitoes seemed like a good option to get rid of the twin diseases. But field testing of the GM mosquitoes is still a long way off. [...] Speaking on the sidelines of the Global Meet of Biologists, Dr P. Jambulingam, director, Vector Control Research Centre, said, “There are many issues. Conducting laboratory tests is one thing and field testing another. There is no guarantee about the competence of GM mosquitoes.” He added, “Social acceptance is another issue. There is no proof that these mosquitoes will not cause any side-effects. There are doubts if people will embrace the technology.”