Nanotechnology and its medical applications: revisiting public policies from a regulatory perspective in Australia

Nanotechnology Reviews

article

S.M. Solaiman¹  Vinod Gopalan²  Md Shahriar A. Hossain³  Yusuke Yamauchi³  Jung Ho Kim³  Joseph Horvat³  Shi Xue Dou³  Gursel Alici⁴  Lezanne Ooi⁵  Boris Martinac⁶  Muhammad J.A. Shiddiky⁸ 

[1] School of Law, University of Wollongong;School of Medicine and Cancer Molecular Pathology Laboratory in Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University Gold Coast;Australian Institute for Innovative Materials (AIIM), University of Wollongong;School of Mechanical, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering, and ARC Centre of Excellence for Electromaterials Science, University of Wollongong;Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, School of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong;Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute;St Vincent’s Clinical School, The University of New South Wales;School of Natural Sciences & Queensland Micro & Nanotechnology Centre (QMNC), Griffith University (Nathan Campus)

关键词: Australia;    nanobiotechnology;    public health;    regulatory policy;   

DOI  :  10.1515/ntrev-2016-0095

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: De Gruyter

【 摘 要 】

Nanobiotechnology is an immensely potential invention, which is expected to bring about revolutionary changes in many aspects of essential human needs including medical treatments and foods. Although the technology has passed through its embryonic stage, its medical applications in preparing and delivering drugs to target cells of human bodies to cure incurable diseases are still under scientific scrutiny. A 2007 study suggests that Australia needs to have a review of its regulatory framework for nanotechnology by 2017. This article examines the current regulation of nanotechnology and its medical applications in Australia, and observes that it would be premature to impose any stringent regulation at this stage on medical experimentations. We are of the view that an excessively precautionary policy may hinder further research, which is critical to discovering the benefit and harm with certainty. Hence, in the greater interest of the facilitation of research and affirmation of benefits of this technology, we recommend that adopting a hybrid regulatory method composed of self-regulation and accommodating government regulation would be an appropriate policy approach to the regulation of nanobiotechnology. We also accept the need for a set of internationally harmonized policy principles to guide our actions in relation to this technology.

【 授权许可】

CC BY