Societal and policy aspects of the introduction of nanotechnology in healthcare

Abstract

It is anticipated that the application of biomedical nanotechnology will lead to progress in medical science in the areas of disease diagnosis, bio-compatible materials and drug delivery systems. In vitro diagnostic techniques employing biosensors and biochips are already available, while advances in bioengineering include biomimetic nanostructures for surgical implants and tissue engineering. Therapeutic systems using nanopowders and nanotubes for drug delivery and anticancer drugs targeted directly at tumour cells are also being developed. Public acceptance of nanotechnology is likely to be strongly influenced by the perception of the associated risks. It is therefore essential to establish an appropriate legal and ethical framework for the implementation of nanotechnology in healthcare applications. The adoption of a precautionary approach, based on the use of reliable scientific data, is advisable in order to reduce the level of risk. Copyright © 2006 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.