{"id":65,"date":"2009-03-03T15:49:12","date_gmt":"2009-03-03T23:49:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/nanotechnology\/2009\/03\/03\/is-the-window-closing\/"},"modified":"2025-06-18T10:17:16","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T15:17:16","slug":"is-the-window-closing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/health\/2009\/03\/03\/is-the-window-closing\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the Window Closing?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Richard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist.<\/em><\/p>\n

As one who has closely followed the emergence of nanotechnology, I am sure I was not alone several years ago in welcoming what appeared to be a refreshingly new attitude among a broad range of stakeholders toward the introduction of this new set of technologies and materials. \u00a0Calls from my organization to “get nanotech right the first time<\/a>” were echoed widely.\u00a0 Perhaps the most frequently used metaphor, though, was that a “window of opportunity” had opened to do things differently this time.\u00a0 But I increasingly fear that the window is closing.<\/p>\n

Not long ago, the debate over nanotechnology seemed to reflect a willingness to learn from past failures in how our society had approached the introduction of other novel technologies like genetically modified organisms.\u00a0 Many called for an inclusiveness that provided a seat at the table for all stakeholders.\u00a0 And all parties, the industry included, tacitly if not always overtly agreed that a more cautious approach was needed, one that would identify and forthrightly address potential risks alongside the development – that is to say, the responsible development – of nanotechnology.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the first sign of trouble came about 18 months ago, when officials charged with overseeing the National Nanotechnology Initiative testified before Congress<\/a> to the effect that all the hoopla about nano risks was overblown and the result of shoddy science<\/a>.\u00a0 Then a year ago February, the White House felt obliged to issue its so-called “Principles for Nanotechnology Environmental, Health, and Safety Oversight<\/a>,” addressed to all federal departments and agencies, that seemed primarily intended to rein in any renegade federal officials hell-bent on over-regulating nanotechnology.<\/p>\n

The latest signs that the window of opportunity is closing fast are coming from some among the legions of lawyers whose business it is to protect nano-enabled companies from legal actions.\u00a0 As Rick Weiss reported last week in a piece titled “The Big Business of Nano Litigation<\/a>,” industry lawyers are sending mixed messages to their clients, some of them now apparently advising their clients to forget all the warm fuzzy stuff.\u00a0 The latter group’s messages:<\/p>\n