Risk perception and risk communication: Is nanotechnology at the crossroads in Australia?

Abstract

This presentation addresses the potential for nanotechnology development to be derailed, or at least delayed, by unresolved concerns about health and safety issues. Findings from surveys of risk perception indicate that availability of knowledge about health risks can both inform and fuel concerns. Trust in regulatory systems is one factor which can influence community perceptions of risk, and there remain some issues about whether the regulatory systems are fully capable of identifying and managing these risks.