An international nanoscience advisory board to improve and harmonize nanotechnology oversight

As governments around the world begin to implement regulations aimed at controlling nanotechnology, those regulations should be based upon the best available science, applied as consistently as possible within jurisdictions and, to the extent feasible, across jurisdictions. These goals would be easier to achieve with the creation of an international nanoscience advisory board. Such a body could be modeled on similar international scientific advisory bodies for other issues, such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Such a body should also take into account lessons learned from these similar organizations. An international nanoscience advisory board could assist regulatory bodies by providing a central source of accurate scientific information about the risks and benefits of nanotechnology, including relevant uncertainties, rather than having each regulatory body make these determinations independently. An international nanoscience advisory board could facilitate harmonization within and between jurisdictions by involving the top experts in the field to produce a centralized knowledge base for regulatory decisions. While an international nanoscience advisory board presents many potential benefits, it also faces significant difficulties, which are best illustrated by examining the history and challenges of existing international science advisory bodies.