Government commissions, ignores, nanotech report

Last year's Royal Society and Royal Academy of Engineers (RS/RAE) report Nanoscience and Nanotechnologies: Opportunities and Uncertainties, although narrow in its remit, was far from glowing in its assessment of nanotechnology. This was the first time that such pillars of the scientific establishment had urged caution about nanotechnology. They raised specific concerns about the toxicity of nanoparticles and the current lack of regulation to deal with the new problems posed by nanotechnology.

On 25 February at the launch of a new exhibition on nanotechnology at London's Science Museum, Lord Sainsbury, Science Minister (who originally commissioned the report in 2003), announced the UK government's response to the recommendations made by the RS/RAE.

The government's response failed to implement many of the report's recommendations. It did not:

- offer any specific regulations for nanotechnology

- offer any new money for nanotoxicology research

- deal with the fact that there are nanotechnology based products already on the market in the UK and beyond

- respond at all to any concerns raised about nanotechnology's social effects

- consider nanotechnology beyond nanoparticles (eg nanobiotech, nanocapsules, nanodevices)

Remarkably, from the scientific establishment to the financial press, as well as NGOs, no one has a had a good word to say about the government's response.

For full details of the Royal Society report see http://www.corporatewatch.org/news/nano_rs.htm