How well prepared is the FDA to regulate nanotech products? Perhaps not very well, at least in the area of dietary supplements. The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies will release a report on FDA regulation of nanotechnology-based dietary supplements at an event to be held and webcast on January 14, 2009. For more information and to register to attend the event (No RSVP is required to view the webcast) see “Nanotech and Your Daily Vitamins“:
Historically, the regulation of dietary supplements has been a significant challenge for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the fact that some of these products are now being manufactured using nanotechnology creates an additional layer of complexity.
A new report to be released at this event will address the question: Is FDA equipped to meet the emerging regulatory challenge of dietary supplements that use engineered nanomaterials? The short answer is no.
The FDA’s ability to regulate the safety of dietary supplements using nanomaterials is severely limited by lack of information, lack of resources and the agency’s lack of statutory authority in certain critical areas, according to a new Project report: A Hard Pill to Swallow: Barriers to Effective FDA Regulation of Nanotechnology-Based Dietary Supplements.
—Jim
