US Senators Mark Pryor and Benjamin Cardin have introduced the Nanotechnology Safety Act of 2010: ‘A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to establish a nanotechnology program’ into the US Senate. The Bill outlines that ‘Chapter X of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 391 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘‘SEC. 1011. NANOTECHNOLOGY PROGRAM: ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Nanotechnology Safety Act of 2010, the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, shall establish within the Food and Drug Administration a program for the scientific investigation of nanoscale materials included or intended for inclusion in FDA-regulated products, to address the potential toxicology of such materials, the effects of such materials on biological systems, and interaction of such materials with biological systems. This would amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act to establish a nanotechnology programme at the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).’

If approved, the programme would conduct a number of data gathering and research activities (some in collaboration with other agencies and international fora, in order to ultimately ‘further the understanding of measurement and detection methods for nanoscale materials [...]’ and ‘collect, synthesize, interpret, and dissemi nate scientific information and data related to the interactions of nanoscale materials with biological systems [...]’

Follow this link to find out more about the Nanotechnology Safety Act of 2010.