FDA tries to get a virtual grip on nano

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration now has a nanotechnology-themed Web site. Here's an excerpt from the agency's intro:

The US Food and Drug Administration regulates a wide range of products which may utilize nanotechnology or contain nanomaterials. The Agency regulates different types of products including foods, cosmetics, drugs, devices, and veterinary products. With the advent of nanotechnology, the regulation of many products will involve more than one Center, for example a "drug" delivery "device". In these cases the assignment of regulatory lead is the responsibility of the Office of Combination Products. To facilitate the regulation of nanotechnology products, the Agency has formed a NanoTechnology Interest Group (NTIG) which is made up of representatives from all the Centers. The NTIG meets quarterly to ensure there is effective communication between the Centers. Most of the Centers also have working groups that establish the network between their different components. More here

OK.

I hope the rest of the site explains things a bit better to a very-curious general public. Tons of links in there, including this one on FDA regulation of nanotech products. Part of the problem, as the site acknowledges, is there are "no nanotech-specific guidance document at this time, all existing guidance document would apply to nanotech products."

Welcome to our elusive little world, FDA.

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