Ethics of Risk Analysis and Regulatory Review Fro

Authors: Jennifer Kuzma John C Besley

Publish Date: 2008/05/07

Volume: 2, Issue: 2, Pages: 149-162

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Abstract

Risk analysis and regulatory systems are usually evaluated according to utilitarian frameworks as they are viewed to operate “objectively” by considering the health environmental and economic impacts of technological applications Yet the estimation of impacts during risk analysis and the decisions in regulatory review are affected by value choices of actors and stakeholders attention to principles such as autonomy justice and integrity and power relationships In this article case studies of biotechnology are used to illustrate how nonutilitarian principles are prominent in risk analysis and regulatory review and to argue that these relationships should be carefully considered as we consider nanotechnology oversight systems for its products We argue that there are not distinct separations between “sciencebased” review systems in which evaluations of the consequences of technological products are primarily considered and principles of integrity justice nonmaleficence and autonomy It should further be expected that given research into fair treatment during decisionmaking processes attention to ethics will affect how citizens assess emerging technologies Finally a more holistic approach for evaluating oversight systems for the products of nanotechnology is suggested one which does not draw a sharp distinction between risk analysis regulation and respect for nonutilitarian valuesThis work was in part supported by National Science Foundation NIRT grant SES0608791 Wolf Kokkoli Kuzma Paradise Ramachandran coPIs Any opinions findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation

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