Nanotechnology and the Regulation of New Technologies

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found in a recent study that “the production of carbon nanotubes gives rise to the creation of a slew of dangerous chemicals some are known to be toxic.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers found in a recent study that “the production of carbon nanotubes gives rise to the creation of a slew of dangerous chemicals known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, including some that are toxic.”

“Nanotechnology is the manipulation of atoms and small molecules at a level that is slightly different from chemistry.”

According to Vice President of Public Policy Bart Mongoven at Strategic Forecasting the debate over the regulation of nanotechnology takes place on two levels. The first level is determining the risk to public health and the methods with which to do so, and the second level of debate is the ongoing politicization of science and technology. “At issue is the point at which government is justified in stepping into the realm of science to stop or slow scientific research, regardless of whether harm has been done,” said Mongoven. Nanotechnology issues are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Nanotechnology Task Force. Human cloning and synthetic forms of life are just two highly controversial issues among the pack where Mongoven’s report says people will eventually need to integrate such ideas into their everyday world view. To learn more you can download FDA Task Force PDF