For Nanotech, It's Safety First

The nanotechnology revolution is underway, but expect it to proceed slowly. This morning's Washington Post reports on a survey of nanotech usages. Of more interest, though, is the second half of the article, which discusses safety issues. Specifically, too little is known about them, and some companies have been reluctant to let the government do testing and evaluation. That's not an option with medical device applications, of course. FDA will have a say on safety and effectiveness before any device-related application hits the market. But until more is known about safety issues, don't expect a speedy review process. The only way to speed it up is to help FDA and other agencies however you can in research they are conducting and sponsoring.