Le Figaro, March 5, 2007

FRENCH ETHICS GROUP RECOMMENDS PRECAUTION FOR NANOTECHNOLOGY

[Rachel's introduction: The French National Consultative Committee on Ethics has recommended a precautionary approach to the development of nanotechnology.]

CCNE is the French National Consultative Committee on Ethics. In their latest work on nanosciences they call for more fundamental research and more transparency to better understand nanoproducts effects on humans. They take for example the REACH law on chemical products.

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).

They published their recommendations on ethical questions asked by nanosciences, nanotechnologies and health and more especially on potential risks for human health and for individual liberties. They 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.