Nanotechnology applications have been reported across a number of specific product areas including foods and medical products, which are subject to regulatory oversight in many countries to ensure their safety and, in some cases, effectiveness. As nanotechnology develops, countries/regions have begun to develop, refine, and/or articulate regulatory approaches for foods and/or medical products, and invest in regulatory science and other research efforts to support the responsible development of nanotechnology in these areas.

The OECD Working Party on Nanotechnology undertook a project to provide an inventory of regulatory approaches, legislative regimes, and government-sponsored regulatory science research and other research programmes, institutions, and infrastructure in foods and medical products that involve the application of nanotechnology. A survey was carried out over two years from early 2011 to early 2012, and the responses are compiled and analysed in this paper addressing questions related to:

• the regulatory frameworks being used to provide oversight for the use of nanotechnology in the relevant field
• the legislative frameworks relevant to these regulatory frameworks
• relevant government supported research programmes and institutions

Publication:

OECD (2013), “Regulatory Frameworks for Nanotechnology in Foods and Medical Products: Summary Results of a Survey Activity”, OECD Science, Technology and Industry Policy Papers, No. 4, OECD Publishing.