PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Survey reveals regulatory agencies viewed as unprepared for nanotechnology

2013-12-19
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Brandon Fastman
brandon.fastman@ucsb.edu
805-893-8850
University of California - Santa Barbara
Survey reveals regulatory agencies viewed as unprepared for nanotechnology Three stakeholder groups agree that regulators are not adequately prepared to manage the risks posed by nanotechnology, according to a paper published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One. In a survey of nano-scientists and engineers, nano-environmental health and safety scientists, and regulators, researchers at the UCSB Center for Nanotechnology in Society (CNS) and at the University of British Columbia found that those who perceive the risks posed by nanotechnology as "novel" are more likely to believe that regulators are unprepared. Representatives of regulatory bodies themselves felt most strongly that this was the case. "The people responsible for regulation are the most skeptical about their ability to regulate," said CNS Director and co-author Barbara Herr Harthorn.

"The message is essentially," said first author Christian Beaudrie of the Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, "the more that risks are seen as new, the less trust survey respondents have in regulatory mechanisms. That is, regulators don't have the tools to do the job adequately."

The authors also believe that when respondents suggested that more stakeholder groups need to share the responsibility of preparing for the potential consequences of nanotechnologies, this indicated a greater "perceived magnitude or complexity of the risk management challenge." Therefore, they assert, not only do regulators feel unprepared, they need input from "a wide range of experts along the nanomaterial life cycle." These include laboratory scientists, businesses, health and environmental groups (NGOs), and government agencies.

### END


ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

New data compression method reduces big-data bottleneck; outperforms, enhances JPEG

2013-12-19
New data compression method reduces big-data bottleneck; outperforms, enhances JPEG New discovery is rooted in physics and the arts In creating an entirely new way to compress data, a team of researchers from the UCLA Henry Samueli School of Engineering ...

Data are lost to science at 'astonishing rate'

2013-12-19
Data are lost to science at 'astonishing rate' New evidence reported in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on December 19 confirms long-held fears about the fate of scientific data. Careful evaluation of more than 500 randomly selected studies found that the original data ...

New evidence that computers change the way we learn

2013-12-19
New evidence that computers change the way we learn People who use computers regularly are constantly mapping the movements of their hand and computer mouse to the cursor on the screen. Now, researchers reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on December 19 have ...

New method to detect genetic defects in egg cells could double the success rate of IVF

2013-12-19
New method to detect genetic defects in egg cells could double the success rate of IVF Infertility affects up to 15 percent of couples around the world, and in vitro fertilization (IVF) is one way to treat this common condition. A study published by Cell Press December 19th ...

New gene responsible for cleft lip and palate syndrome identified

2013-12-19
New gene responsible for cleft lip and palate syndrome identified An international team led by researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden has identified a new gene related to the Van der Woude syndrome, the most common syndrome with cleft lip and palate. The study ...

A new -- and reversible -- cause of aging

2013-12-19
A new -- and reversible -- cause of aging A naturally produced compound rewinds aspects of age-related demise in mice Researchers have discovered a cause of aging in mammals that may be reversible. The essence of this finding is a series of molecular ...

Scientific data lost at alarming rate

2013-12-19
Scientific data lost at alarming rate Eighty per cent of scientific data are lost within two decades, according to a new study that tracks the accessibility of data over time. The culprits? Old e-mail addresses and obsolete storage devices. "Publicly funded ...

Big data project reveals where carbon-stocking projects in Africa provide the greatest benefits

2013-12-19
Big data project reveals where carbon-stocking projects in Africa provide the greatest benefits It is increasingly recognized that climate change has the potential to threaten people and nature, and that it is imperative to tackle the drivers of climate change, ...

Texting may be good for your health

2013-12-19
Texting may be good for your health Txt4health program piloted in Detroit and Cincinnati motivated people to change behavior to reduce diabetes risk but less than half of enrollees stuck with service ANN ARBOR, Mich. — New University of Michigan ...

Brain repair after injury and Alzheimer's disease

2013-12-19
Brain repair after injury and Alzheimer's disease Technology developed to regenerate functional neurons (In vivo reprogramming of reactive glial cells into functional neurons) Researchers at Penn State University have developed an innovative technology to regenerate functional ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

ACP’s Best Practice Advice addresses use of cannabis, cannabinoids for chronic noncancer pain

Beyond photorespiration: A systematic approach to unlocking enhanced plant productivity

How a small number of mutations can fuel outbreaks of western equine encephalitis virus

Exposure to wildfire smoke linked with worsening mental health conditions

Research uncovers hidden spread of one of the most common hospital-associated infections

Many older adults send their doctors portal messages, but who pays?

Fine particulate matter from 2020 California wildfires and mental health–related emergency department visits

Gender inequity in institutional leadership roles in US academic medical centers

Pancreatic cells ‘remember’ epigenetic precancerous marks without genetic sequence mutations

Rare combination of ovarian tumors found in one patient

AI-driven clinical recommendations may aid physician decision making to improve quality of care

Artificial intelligence has potential to aid physician decisions during virtual urgent care

ACP and Annals of Internal Medicine present breaking scientific news at ACP’s Internal Medicine Meeting 2025

New study reveals polymers with flawed fillers boost heat transfer in plastics

Signs identified that precede sudden arrhythmic death syndrome in young people

Discovery of bacteria's defence against viruses becomes a piece of the puzzle against resistance

Pre-eclampsia is associated with earlier onset and higher incidence of cardiovascular risk factors

Warwick astronomers discover doomed pair of spiralling stars on our cosmic doorstep

Soil conditions significantly increase rainfall in world’s megastorm hotspots

NK cells complexed with bispecific antibody yield high response rates in patients with lymphoma

Planetary health diet and mediterranean diet associated with similar survival and sustainability benefits

Singapore launches national standard to validate antimicrobial disinfectant products

Molecular stool test could improve detection of tuberculosis in adults with HIV

Suspected fibrocartilaginous embolus in Asian small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus)

Enhancing heat transfer using the turbulent flow of viscoelastic fluids

Exercise as an anti-ageing intervention to avoid detrimental impact of mental fatigue

UMass Amherst Nursing Professor Emerita honored as ‘Living Legend’

New guidelines aim to improve cystic fibrosis screening

Picky eaters by day, buffet by night: Butterfly, moth diets sync to plant aromas

Pennington Biomedical’s Dr. Leanne Redman honored with the E. V. McCollum Award from the American Society for Nutrition

[Press-News.org] Survey reveals regulatory agencies viewed as unprepared for nanotechnology