Publications

"The Potential Impacts of Nano-Scale Technologies on Commodity Markets," prepared for the South Centre, examines the potential impacts of nanotechnology on two sectors - agriculture and mining - in commodity dependent developing countries. Cases studies on rubber, textiles, platinum and copper provide early examples of how economies and workers in the global South could be affected by nanotech's emerging R&D and products.

In sharp contrast to the political climate one year ago, the potential health and environmental risks of some nano-scale technologies are now being openly discussed in Europe and North America. In recent months, governments on both sides of the Atlantic have reluctantly conceded that current safety and health regulations may not be adequate to address the special exigencies of nano-scale materials. Ironically, they’re talking about the need to be proactive, failing to admit that they’re at least one decade late: nanotech products are already commercially available and laboratory workers and consumers are already being exposed to nanoparticles that could pose serious risks to people and the environment.

Communiqué
Mayo/Junio 2004
Número 85

A diferencia de hace un año, hoy se discuten abiertamente en Europa y Norteamérica los riesgos potenciales de las nanotecnologías. Ahora los gobiernos en ambos lados del Atlántico aceptan con reservas que las actuales medidas de seguridad y de protección a la salud no son adecuadas para hacer frente a las exigencias especiales de los materiales de nano escala. Hablan de la necesidad de ser pro activos, pero no admiten que están atrasados por los menos una década.

This issue {1999:1-2 [2001]} of Development Dialogue, published by the Dag Hammarskjold Foundation, was authored by Pat Mooney. The ETC Century discusses trends in technological transformation, environmental and cultural erosion, and the re-organization of economic power into the hands of high-tech global oligopolies. This publication is 128 pages.

Nanotech Rx

Medical applications of Nano-scale technologies: What Impact on Marginalized communities?

Issue: Medical applications of nano-scale technologies have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by delivering powerful tools for diagnosing and treating disease at the molecular level. But the current zeal for nano-enabledmedicines could divert scarce medical R&D funds away from essential health services and direct resources away from non-medical aspects of community health and wellbeing. Although nanomedicine is being touted as a solution to pressing health needs in the global South, it is being driven from the North and is designed primarily for wealthy markets. Using nano-scale technologies, the pharmaceutical industry’s ultimate goal is to make every person a patient and every patient a paying customer by “medicating” social ills with human performance enhancement (HyPE) drugs and devices. Nanoenabled HyPEs could usher in an era of... Leer más

Asunto: Las aplicaciones médicas de las tecnologías nanoescalares tienen el potencial de revolucionar el cuidado de la salud al brindar poderosas herramientas para diagnosticar y tratar las enfermedades desde un nivel molecular. Sin embargo, el celo actual en pos de tratamientos potenciados a nivel nanométrico puede desviar los escasos fondos destinados a la investigación y el desarrollo de la medicina y de los servicios esenciales de salud, disminuyendo los recursos directos destinados a los aspectos no médicos de la salud y el bienestar comunitarios. Aunque se proclama que la medicina nanológica es una solución a las urgentes necesidades de salud en el Sur global, en realidad surge del Norte y la diseñan primordialmente para los mercados ricos. El fin último de que la industria farmacéutica utilice tecnologías nanoescalares es hacer que todas las personas se vuelvan pacientes y que todo paciente sea un... Leer más