Regulating Nanotechnologies: Risk Management Models and Nanomedicine

The paper, which introduces this special issue co-edited by Joachim Schummer and Elena Pariotti, underlines the main challenges raised by nanotechnologies to regulation and outlines the range of perspectives that have been developed on the topic. Depending on its scope, structure, and effectiveness, regulation can essentially shape the research, development, production, commercialization, and consumption of emerging technologies in various ways. The lack of regulation, or of corresponding enforcement, can lead to the infringement of rights, harm to workers, consumers, and the environment, and to the neglect of the public interest. On the other hand, too strict regulations, based on incomplete information or excessive caution, may equally cause harm by omitting the potential benefits or by distorting and delaying the technological development.Different theoretical perspectives in social sciences tries to address this dilemma and the issues involved, by developing different models of risk management suitable to manage the uncertainty that is typical of emergent technologies.