Nanotechnology development should go hand in hand with safety research
A report has warned of an imbalance between the substantial investments going to nanotechnologies in many countries, and the disproportionately small amounts spent on research addressing concerns over potential safety risks of such technologies. The report summarises the conclusions of a joint UK Royal Society/Science Council of Japan workshop on the potential health, environmental and societal impacts of nanotechnologies. During the workshop, participants identified gaps in knowledge on the impact of nanomaterials on health and the environment, which require addressing urgently, and discussed on the importance of stakeholder and public engagement in relation to public policy. The report claims that significant funding is urgently needed, initially from governments, so that the necessary research on negative health and environmental impacts of nanomaterials can be undertaken. Professor Mark Welland, Director of the Nanoscience Centre at Cambridge University, who attended the workshop explained: 'Much more research is needed to determine whether nanoparticles can penetrate the skin and how they might travel within the body, particularly in the blood and to the brain.' Professor Welland also pointed out that as there are currently only a few nanomaterials in mass production, those most likely to be at risk are employees working with these materials in industry and in universities and research institutes. Participants at the workshop agreed on the need for more international cooperation and collaboration with the aim of prioritising and undertaking research on exposure to, and toxicity of, nanomaterials. As an example, scientists working on characterisation of nanomaterials should collaborate with scientists investigating the toxicity of nanoparticles and nanotubes, they agreed. A standardised framework for the safety assessment of nanomaterials is required, including standard reference samples and toxicology protocols, they found. The participants also believed that if such cooperation is to be achieved, an international organisation should take the lead. Another critical issue for the advancement of research in this area is the sharing of information on methodologies used for safety testing of nanomaterials by industry, and the provision of samples for academic research. Industry should work with academia and other stakeholders to address concerns over health and environmental impacts, states the report. 'At the meeting some concern was expressed that the development of medicines or cosmetics containing nanoparticles is not always accompanied by the open publication of the methods that have been used to test them for safety and what the results of these tests are. In the future it was felt that active collaboration between relevant industrial researchers and academia should be encouraged to develop consistent and agreed methods of testing,' said Professor Welland. Participants also suggested that industry urgently needs guidelines and timelines for regulatory development so that it has sufficient time to respond to any changes in legislation. Besides, there are virtually no data on the potential negative impacts of nanomaterials on the environment, and research into the ecotoxicology is thus urgently required. Concerning public engagement, the report concludes that a robust, publicly acceptable regulatory framework for nanotechnologies is more likely to be developed if appropriate stakeholder engagement activities are undertaken, and the results incorporated into the policy-making process. These concerns have been recognised at EU level. In its nanosciences and nanotechnologies action plan for Europe (2005-2009), adopted last June, the European Commission emphasised that concerns over the potential impact of these new technologies on health and the environment should not be ignored, and underlined that investigation into potential side effects must also be a focus of research. The European Commission will contribute to this effort by funding ethical reviews, support studies and foresight activities. In addition, the Commission has also launched a public consultation on risk assessment methods for nanotechnologies, which will run until 16 December. The conclusions of the workshop echoed the findings of a previous Royal Society Royal Academy of Engineering report 'Nanoscience and nanotechnologies: opportunities and uncertainties', published in 2004.
Countries
United Kingdom