Former FDA Deputy Commissioner for Policy Michael R. Taylor looks at the FDA's ability to properly protect the American public from the potential hazards associated with nanotechnology in a new report, Regulating the Products of Nanotechnology: Does FDA Have the Tools It Needs?

The report was commissioned by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies in advance of FDA's first major public meeting on regulating products containing nanotechnology materials scheduled for October 10th.

Taylor finds there are gaps in legal authority and fundamental inadequacies in resources that the FDA faces as it attempts to better understand and manage the potential risks from hundreds of new products utilizing nanotechnology. Taylor sets out a course of action for the FDA, Congress, and industry to address these gaps. He also examines whether FDA should classify some nanoscale materials as "new" for legal, regulatory, and safety purposes.

Taylor will present his report on Thursday, October 5th at 12 noon in Washington DC.

Watch the webcast live at www.wilsoncenter.org