Open AccessBuilding an Ethical Foundation for First‐in‐Human Nanotrials
Author(s) -
Dresser Rebecca
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
the journal of law, medicine & ethics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.515
H-Index - 57
eISSN - 1748-720X
pISSN - 1073-1105
DOI - 10.1111/j.1748-720x.2012.00708.x
Subject(s) - nanomedicine , psychological intervention , harm , human health , engineering ethics , human life , nanotechnology , government (linguistics) , psychology , medicine , engineering , political science , psychiatry , materials science , environmental health , social psychology , law , linguistics , philosophy , humanity , nanoparticle
Novel nanomedical interventions require human testing to evaluate their safety and effectiveness. To establish a proper evidentiary basis for human trials, nanomedical innovations must first be subjected to animal and other laboratory testing. But it is uncertain whether the traditional laboratory approaches to safety evaluation will supply adequate information on nanotechnology risks to humans. This uncertainty, together with other features of nanomedical innovation, heightens the ethical challenges in conducting FIH nanotrials.