30/03/2007
France’s National Advisory Committee on Ethics (CCNE) published an opinion on the ethical implications of nanoscience and nanotechnology for health in early March. The French experts call for more basic research and greater transparency to improve understanding of how nanoproducts may affect humans. They cited the EU’s new chemicals legislation, REACH, as a good precedent.

The Committee takes issue with the fact that only 0.4% of world nanoscience and nanotechnology spending ($40 million out of a total $10 billion) goes to research into risks and side effects.

The CCNE warned on the global attitude that privileges technologic performance and commercial profitability and regrets that so little worldwide nanotechnologies expenditure are dedicated to the study of risks and side effects.

Thus recommendations follow the precautionary principle, which implies more [the need for] fundamental research on risks before diffusing nano-applications. It also implies more transparency on nanotechnologies researches that is not currently effective because of the requirements for confidentiality related to industrial applications.

Finally they recommend the creation of a European [nanotechnology] law like REACH on chemical products, based on transparency and an extreme vigilance of nanotechnology's consequences on individual liberties.

The CCNE was founded in 1983 to give advice on ethical problems and social questions induced by advancements in scientific knowledge in the fields of life sciences, medicine, and health. This is a completely independent committee and its role is only consultative. It is made up of representatives of the main philosophical and spiritual families, people qualified in the field of ethics (researchers, doctors, nurses, politicians, jurists).